Diagnostic method

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to novel sequence and polymorphisms in the human flt-1 gene. Eight specific polymorphisms are identified. The invention also relates to methods and materials for analysing allelic variation in the flt-1 gene and to the use of flt-1 polymorphism in the diagnosis and treatment of angiogenic diseases and cancer. Diseases associated with pathological angiogenesis include diabetic retinopathies, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis and endometriosis.

[0001] This invention relates to novel sequence and polymorphisms in the human flt-1 gene. The invention also relates to methods and materials for analysing allelic variation in the flt-1 gene and to the use of flt-1 polymorphism in the diagnosis and treatment of angiogenic diseases and cancer. Diseases associated with pathological angiogenesis include diabetic retinopathies, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis and endometriosis.

[0002] Flt-1 is one of the two receptors for vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGFR-1). The other being KDR (VEGFR-2). The flt-1 protein consists of an external domain containing seven immunoglobulin like domains, a transmembrane region and a cytoplasmic region containing a tyrosine kinase domain. In contrast to other members of the receptor tyrosine kinase family, the kinase domain of flt-1 is in two segments with an intervening sequence of ˜70 amino acids. The biology of the VEGF receptors has been reviewed (Neufeld et al., (1999) FASEB Journal. 13:11-22; Zachary (1998) Experimental Nephrology. 6:480-487) and the tyrosine phosphorylation sites have been identified (Ito et al., (1998) J. Biol. Chem. 273:23410-23418).

[0003] It is thought that flt-1 may be important in regulating the tissue architecture in developing vasculature while the second VEGF receptor (KDR, VEGFR-2) mediates the mitogenic and angiogenic effects of VEGF in endothelial cells. Evidence to support this theory has come from knockout studies in mice (Fong et al., (1995) Nature. 376:66-70).

[0004] VEGF and its receptors are over expressed in many tumour types and blocking of VEGF function inhibits angiogenesis and suppresses growth of tumours while over expression of VEGF enhances angiogenesis and tumour growth (Skobe et al., (1997) Nature Medicine 3:1222-1227). Several studies have now shown that modulation of flt-1 activity can lead to anti-tumour activity. A small molecule inhibitor, SU5416, was originally developed against KDR but has been shown to be active against flt-1, the authors propose that inhibition of flt-1 may lead to interference with the formation of endothelial-matrix interactions (Fong et al., (1999) Cancer Research. 59:99-106).

[0005] Alternative strategies to modulate flt-1 activity have included the use of ribozymes (Parry et al., (1999) Nucleic Acids Research. 27:2569-2577), the synthesis of aptamers to inhibit binding of VEGF to its receptor (Ruckman et al., (1998) J Biol Chem. 273:20556-20567) and the in vivo transfer of the flt-1 external domain (Kong et al., (1998) Human Gene Therapy. 9:823-833). Chimeric toxins containing VEGF fused to the diptheria toxin have been used to target endothelial cells (Arora et al., (1999) Cancer Research. 59:183-188).

[0006] The flt-1 cDNA (EMBL Accession Number X51602, 7680 bp) encodes a mature protein of 1338 amino acids. The structure of the murine flt-1 gene has been determined (Kondo et al., (1998) Gene 208:297-305) and has been used to predict the intron/exon boundaries within the human gene. The promoter region of the human gene has been characterised (Ikeda et al., (1996) Growth Factors. 13:151-162; Morishita et al., (1995) J Biol Chem 270:27948-27953; EMBL Accession Number D64016,1745 bp). The fit-1 gene, which is organised into thirty exons, has been localised to chromosome 13q12 (Rosnet et al. (1993) Oncogene 8:73-179).

[0007] Unless otherwise indicated or apparent from the context, all exon positions herein relate to the positions indicated in EMBL Accession X51602, all promoter positions relate to the positions indicated in EMBL Accession No. 64016, and all intron sequences relate to one or other of SEQ ID Nos 1-5 disclosed herein.

[0008] SEQ ID No. 1 (1073 bp) represents exon 17 (positions 483-615 corresponding to positions 2605-2737 in EMBL Accession No. X51602) and adjacent intron sequences (positions 1-482 and 616-1073).

[0009] SEQ ID No. 2 (1480 bp) represents exon 21 (positions 438-594 corresponding to positions 3046-3202 in EMBL Accession No. X51602), exon 22 (positions 1025-1122 corresponding to positions 3203-3300 in EMBL Accession No. X51602) and intron sequences adjacent these exons (positions 1-437, 595-1024 and 1123-1480).

[0010] SEQ ID No. 3 (726 bp) represents exon 24 (positions 267-278 corresponding to positions 3424-3535 in EMBL Accession No. X51602) and adjacent intron sequences (positions 1-266 and 279-726).

[0011] SEQ ID No. 4 (1352 bp) represents exon 26 (positions 285-390 corresponding to positions 3636-3741 in EMBL Accession No. X51602), exon 27 (positions 652-794 corresponding to positions 3742-3884 in EMBL Accession No. X51602) and intron sequences adjacent these exons (positions 1-284, 391-651 and 795-1352).

[0012] SEQ ID No. 5 (1256 bp) represents exon 28 (positions 580-664 corresponding to positions 3885-3969 in EMBL Accession No. X51602) and adjacent intron sequences (positions 1-579 and 665-1256).

[0013] The novel intron sequence, or parts thereof, can be used, inter alia, as hybridisation probes to identify clones harbouring the flt-1 gene, for use in genetic linkage studies or for design and use as amplification primers suitable, for example, to amplify some or all of the flt-1 gene using an amplification reaction such as the PCR.

[0014] Polymorphism refers to the occurrence of two or more genetically determined alternative alleles or sequences within a population. A polymorphic marker is the site at which divergence occurs. Preferably markers have at least two alleles, each occurring at frequency of greater than 1%, and more preferably at least 10%, 15%, 20%, 30% or more of a selected population.

[0015] Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) are generally, as the name implies, single nucleotide or point variations that exist in the nucleic acid sequence of some members of a species. Such polymorphism variation within the species are generally regarded to be the result of spontaneous mutation throughout evolution. The mutated and normal sequences coexist within the species' population sometimes in a stable or quasi-stable equilibrium. At other times the mutation may confer some selective advantage to the species and with time may be incorporated into the genomes of all members of the species.

[0016] Some SNPs occur in the protein coding sequences, in which case, one of the polymorphic protein forms may possess a different amino acid which may give rise to the expression of a variant protein and, potentially, a genetic disease. Polymorphisms may also affect mRNA synthesis, maturation, transportation and stability. Polymorphisms which do not result in amino acid changes (silent polymorphisms) or which do not alter any known consensus sequences may nevertheless have a biological effect, for example by altering mRNA folding, stability, splicing, transcription rate, translation rate, or fidelity. Recently, it has been reported that even polymorphisms that do not result in an amino acid change can cause different structural folds of mRNA with potentially different biological functions (Shen et al., (1999) Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 96:7871-7876). Thus, changes that occur outside of the coding region, i.e. intron sequences, promoter regions etc may affect the transcription and/or message stability of the sequences and thus affect the level of the protein (receptor) in cells.

[0017] The use of knowledge of polymorphisms to help identify patients most suited to therapy with particular pharmaceutical agents is often termed “pharmacogenetics”. Pharmacogenetics can also be used in pharmaceutical research to assist the drug selection process. Polymorphisms are used in mapping the human genome and to elucidate the genetic component of diseases. The reader is directed to the following references for background details on pharmacogenetics and other uses of polymorphism detection: Linder et al. (1997), Clinical Chemistry, 43:254; Marshall (1997), Nature Biotechnology, 15:1249; International Patent Application WO 97/40462, Spectra Biomedical; and Schafer et al, (1998), Nature Biotechnology, 16:33.

[0018] A haplotype is a set of alleles found at linked polymorphic sites (such as within a gene) on a single (paternal or maternal) chromosome. If recombination within the gene is random, there may be as many as 2′ haplotypes, where 2 is the number of alleles at each SNP and n is the number of SNPs. One approach to identifying mutations or polymorphisms which are correlated with clinical response is to carry out an association study using all the haplotypes that can be identified in the population of interest. The frequency of each haplotype is limited by the frequency of its rarest allele, so that SNPs with low frequency alleles are particularly useful as markers of low frequency haplotypes. As particular mutations or polymorphisms associated with certain clinical features, such as adverse or abnormal events, are likely to be of low frequency within the population, low frequency SNPs may be particularly useful in identifying these mutations (for examples see: Linkage disequilibrium at the cystathionine beta synthase (CBS) locus and the association between genetic variation at the CBS locus and plasma levels of homocysteine. Ann Hum Genet (1998) 62:481-90, De Stefano V, Dekou V, Nicaud V, Chasse J F, London J, Stansbie D, Humphries S E, and Gudnason V; and Variation at the von willebrand factor (vWF) gene locus is associated with plasma vWF:Ag levels: identification of three novel single nucleotide polymorphisms in the vWF gene promoter. Blood (1999) 93:4277-83, Keightley A M, Lam Y M, Brady J N, Cameron C L, Lillicrap D).

[0019] Clinical trials have shown that patient response to drugs is heterogeneous. Thus there is a need for improved approaches to pharmaceutical agent design and therapy.

[0020] Point mutations in polypeptides will be referred to as follows: natural amino acid (using 1 or 3 letter nomenclature), position, new amino acid. For (a hypothetical) example, “D25K” or “Asp25Lys” means that at position 25 an aspartic acid (D) has been changed to lysine (K). Multiple mutations in one polypeptide will be shown between square brackets with individual mutations separated by commas.

[0021] The present invention is based on the discovery of nine novel single nucleotide polymorphisms as well as novel intronic sequence of the flt-1 gene. Relative to EMBL Accession No. X51602 the three novel coding sequence polymorphisms are located at nucleotide position: 1953, 3453 and 3888. Relative to EMBL Accession No. D64016 the four novel promoter sequence polymorphisms are located at nucleotide position: 519, 786, 1422 and 1429. Relative to SEQ ID No.3, the intron 24 polymorphism is located at position 454. Relative to SEQ ID No.5, the intron 28 polymorphism is located at position 696.

[0022] For the avoidance of doubt the location of each of the polymorphisms (emboldened; published allele (if published) illustrated first) and sequence immediately flanking each polymorphism site is as follows: Numbering according to EMBL Accession X51602 a) Position 1953 (codon 568 polymorphism) 1938 GGAAAAAATGCCGACG/AGAAGGAGAGGACCTG 1968 (SEQ ID No.6) b) Position 3453 (codon 1068 polymorphism) 3438 GAAATGGATGGCTCCC/TGAATCTATCTTTGAC 3468 (SEQ ID No.7) c) Position 3888 (codon 1213 polymorphism) 3873 TGATGATGTCAGATAT/CGTAAATGCTTTCAAG 3903 (SEQ ID No.8) Numbering according to EMBL Accession D6401 6 d) Position 519 (promoter polymorphism)  504 AAAAAGACACGGACAC/TGCTCCCCTGGGACCT 534 (SEQ ID No.9) e) Position 786 (promoter polymorphism)  771 GATCGGACTTTCCGCC/TCCTAGGGCCAGGCGG 801 (SEQ ID No.10) f) Position 1422 (promoter polymorphism) 1407 GACGGACTCTGGCGGC/TCGGGTCTTTGGCCGC 1437 (SEQ ID No.11) g) Position 1429 (promoter polymorphism) 1414 TCTGGCGGCCGGGTCG/TTTGGCCGCGGGGAGC 1444 (SEQ ID No. 12) Numbering according to Seq ID 3 (intron 24) h) Intron 24 position 454  439 GAATGTCCTTTGGTTG/AGACAGCCTTTAGATT 469 (SEQ ID No. 13) Numbering according to Seq ID No 5 (intron 28) i) Intron 28 position 696  681 AGGTACCTAGTGCACT/CCCGATAGACCCCTTC 711 (SEQ ID No. 14)

[0023] According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for the diagnosis of one or more single nucleotide polymorphism(s) in flt-1 gene in a human, which method comprises determining the sequence of the nucleic acid of the human at one or more of positions: 1953, 3453, 3888 (each according to the position in EMBL accession number X51602), 519, 786, 1422, 1429 (each according to the position in EMBL accession number D64016), 454 (according to SEQ ID No. 3) and 696 (according to SEQ ID No. 5), and determining the status of the human by reference to polymorphism in the flt-1 gene.

[0024] The term human includes both a human having or suspected of having a flt-1 ligand-mediated disease and an asymptomatic human who may be tested for predisposition or susceptibility to such disease. At each position the human may be homozygous for an allele or the human may be a heterozygote.

[0025] The term ‘flt-1-ligand mediated disease’ means any disease which results from pathological changes in the level or activity of the flt-1 ligand (VEGF).

[0026] The term ‘flt-1 drug’ means any drug which changes the level of an flt-1-ligand mediated response or changes the biological activity of flt-1 (VEGFR-1). For example the drug may be an agonist or an antagonist of a natural ligand for flt-1. A drug which inhibits the activity of the flt-1 (VEGFR-1) is preferred.

[0027] As defined herein, the flt-1 gene includes exon coding sequence, intron sequences intervening the exon sequences and, 3′ and 5′ untranslated region (3′ UTR and 5′ UTR) sequences, including the promoter element of the flt-1 gene.

[0028] In one embodiment of the invention preferably the method for diagnosis described herein is one in which the single nucleotide polymorphism at position 1953 (according to the position in EMBL accession number X51602) is the presence of G and/or A.

[0029] In another embodiment of the invention preferably the method for diagnosis described herein is one in which the single nucleotide polymorphism at position 3453 (according to the position in EMBL accession number X51602) is the presence of C and/or T.

[0030] In another embodiment of the invention preferably the method for diagnosis described herein is one in which the single nucleotide polymorphism at position 3888 (according to the position in EMBL accession number X51602) is the presence of T and/or C.

[0031] In another embodiment of the invention preferably the method for diagnosis described herein is one in which the single nucleotide polymorphism at position 519 (according to the position in EMBL accession number D64016) is the presence of C and/or T.

[0032] In another embodiment of the invention preferably the method for diagnosis described herein is one in which the single nucleotide polymorphism at position 786 (according to the position in EMBL accession number D64016) is the presence of C and/or T.

[0033] In another embodiment of the invention preferably the method for diagnosis described herein is one in which the single nucleotide polymorphism at position 1422 (according to the position in EMBL accession number D64016) is the presence of C and/or T.

[0034] In another embodiment of the invention preferably the method for diagnosis described herein is one in which the single nucleotide polymorphism at position 1429 (according to the position in EMBL accession number D64016) is the presence of G and/or T.

[0035] In another embodiment of the invention preferably the method for diagnosis described herein is one in which the single nucleotide polymorphism at position 454 (according to the position in SEQ ID No. 3) is the presence of G and/or A.

[0036] In another embodiment of the invention preferably the method for diagnosis described herein is one in which the single nucleotide polymorphism at position 696 (according to the position in SEQ ID No. 5) is the presence of T and/or C.

[0037] The method for diagnosis is preferably one in which the sequence is determined by a method selected from amplification refractory mutation system (ARMS™-allele specific amplification), allele specific hybridisation (ASH), oligonucleotide ligation assay (OLA) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP).

[0038] In another aspect of the invention there is provided a method of analysing a nucleic acid, comprising: obtaining a nucleic acid from an individual; and determining the base occupying any one of the following polymorphic sites: 1953, 3453, 3888 (each according to the position in EMBL accession number X51602), 519, 786, 1422, 1429 (each according to the position in EMBL accession number D64016), 454 (according to SEQ ID No. 3) and 696 (according to SEQ ID No. 5).

[0039] In another aspect of the invention we provide a method for the diagnosis of flt-1 ligand-mediated disease, which method comprises:

[0040] i) obtaining sample nucleic acid from an individual;

[0041] ii) detecting the presence or absence of a variant nucleotide at one or more of positions: 1953, 3453, 3888 (each according to the position in EMBL accession number X51602), 519, 786, 1422, 1429 (each according to the position in EMBL accession number D64016), 454 (according to SEQ ID No. 3) and 696 (according to SEQ ID No. 5), in the flt-1 gene; and,

[0042] iii) determining the status of the individual by reference to polymorphism in the flt-1 gene.

[0043] Allelic variation at position 1953 (according to EMBL sequence X51602) consists of a single base substitution from G (the published base), for example to A. Allelic variation at position 3453 (according to EMBL sequence X51602) consists of a single base substitution from C (the published base), for example to T. Allelic variation at position 3888 (according to EMBL sequence X51602) consists of a single base substitution from T (the published base), for example to C. Allelic variation at position 519 (according to EMBL sequence D64016), consists of a single base substitution from C (the published base), for example to T. Allelic variation at position 786 (according to EMBL sequence D64016), consists of a single base substitution from C (the published base), for example to T. Allelic variation at position 1422 (according to EMBL sequence D64016), consists of a single base substitution from C (the published base), for example to T. Allelic variation at position 1429 (according to EMBL sequence D64016), consists of a single base substitution from G (the published base), for example to T. Allelic variation at position 454 (according to SEQ ID No. 3) consists of a single base substitution from C to G, for example. Allelic variation at position 696 (according to SEQ ID No. 5) consists of a single base substitution from T to C, for example.

[0044] The invention resides in the identification of the existence of different alleles at particular loci. The status of the individual may be determined by reference to allelic variation at one, two, three, four, five, six, seven or all eight positions optionally in combination with any other polymorphism in the gene that is (or becomes) known.

[0045] The test sample of nucleic acid is conveniently a sample of blood, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, sputum, urine or other body fluid or tissue obtained from an individual. It will be appreciated that the test sample may equally be a nucleic acid sequence corresponding to the sequence in the test sample, that is to say that all or a part of the region in the sample nucleic acid may firstly be amplified using any convenient technique e.g. PCR, before use in the analysis of sequence variation.

[0046] It will be apparent to the person skilled in the art that there are a large number of analytical procedures which may be used to detect the presence or absence of one or more of the polymorphisms identified herein. In general, the detection of allelic variation requires a mutation discrimination technique, optionally an amplification reaction and a signal generation system. Table 1 lists a number of mutation detection techniques, some based on the PCR. These may be used in combination with a number of signal generation systems, a selection of which is listed in Table 2. Further amplification techniques are listed in Table 3. Many current methods for the detection of allelic variation are reviewed by Nollau et al., Clin. Chem. 43, 1114-1120, 1997; and in standard textbooks, for example “Laboratory Protocols for Mutation Detection”, Ed. by U. Landegren, Oxford University Press, 1996 and “PCR”, 2^(nd) Edition by Newton & Graham, BIOS Scientific Publishers Limited, 1997.

[0047] Abbreviations: ALEX ™ Amplification refractory mutation system linear extension APEX Arrayed primer extension ARMS ™ Amplification refractory mutation system ASH Allele specific hybridisation b-DNA Branched DNA CMC Chemical mismatch cleavage bp base pair COPS Competitive oligonucleotide priming system DGGE Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis FRET Fluorescence resonance energy transfer LCR Ligase chain reaction MASDA Multiple allele specific diagnostic assay NASBA Nucleic acid sequence based amplification flt-1 VEGF receptor-1 OLA Oligonucleotide ligation assay PCR Polymerase chain reaction PTT Protein truncation test RFLP Restriction fragment length polymorphism SERRS Surface enhanced raman resonance spectroscopy SDA Strand displacement amplification SNP Single nucleotide polymorphism SSCP Single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis SSR Self sustained replication TGGE Temperature gradient gel electrophoresis

[0048] TABLE 1 Mutation Detection Techniques General: DNA sequencing, Sequencing by hybridisation Scanning: PTT*, SSCP, DGGE, TGGE, Cleavase, Heteroduplex analysis, CMC, Enzymatic mismatch cleavage

[0049] Hybridisation Based

[0050] Solid phase hybridisation: Dot blots, MASDA, Reverse dot blots, Oligonucleotide arrays (DNA Chips)

[0051] Solution phase hybridisation: Taqman™—U.S. Pat. No. 5,210,015 & U.S. Pat. No. 5,487,972 (Hoffmann-La Roche), Molecular Beacons—Tyagi et al (1996), Nature Biotechnology, 14, 303; WO 95/13399 (Public Health Inst., New York), ASH

[0052] Extension Based: ARMS™—allele specific amplification (as described in European patent No. EP-B-332435 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,595,890), ALEX™—European Patent No. EP 332435 B1 (Zeneca Limited), COPS—Gibbs et al (1989), Nucleic Acids Research, 17, 2347.

[0053] Incorporation Based: Mini-sequencing, APEX

[0054] Restriction Enzyme Based: RFLP, Restriction site generating PCR

[0055] Ligation Based: OLA—Nickerson et al. (1990) P.N.A.S. 87:8923-8927.

[0056] Other: Invader assay TABLE 2 Signal Generation or Detection Systems Fluorescence: FRET, Fluorescence quenching, Fluorescence polarisation - United Kingdom Patent No. 2228998 (Zeneca Limited) Other: Chemiluminescence, Electrochemiluminescence, Raman, Radioactivity, Colorimetric, Hybridisation protection assay, Mass spectrometry, SERRS - WO 97/05280 (University of Strathclyde).

[0057] TABLE 3 Further Amplification Methods SSR, NASBA, LCR, SDA, b-DNA

[0058] Preferred mutation detection techniques include ARMS™-allele specific amplification, ALEX™, COPS, Taqman, Molecular Beacons, RFLP, OLA, restriction site based PCR and FRET techniques.

[0059] Particularly preferred methods include ARMS™-allele specific amplification, OLA and RFLP based methods. The allele specific amplification technique known in the art as ARMS™ is an especially preferred method.

[0060] ARMS™-allele specific amplification (described in European patent No. EP-B332435, U.S. Pat. No. 5,595,890 and Newton et al. (Nucleic Acids Research, Vol. 17, p.2503; 1989)), relies on the complementarity of the 3′ terminal nucleotide of the primer and its template. The 3′ terminal nucleotide of the primer being either complementary or non-complementary to the specific mutation, allele or polymorphism to be detected. There is a selective advantage for primer extension from the primer whose 3′ terminal nucleotide complements the base mutation, allele or polymorphism. Those primers which have a 3′ terminal mismatch with the template sequence severely inhibit or prevent enzymatic primer extension. Polymerase chain reaction or unidirectional primer extension reactions therefore result in product amplification when the 3′ terminal nucleotide of the primer complements that of the template, but not, or at least not efficiently, when the 3′ terminal nucleotide does not complement that of the template.

[0061] Therapeutic opportunities for VEGF receptor antagonists exist for angiogenic and cancer diseases. An example of a known inhibitor of flt-1 is SU5416 (supra).

[0062] In a further aspect, the diagnostic methods of the invention are used to assess the efficacy of therapeutic compounds in the treatment of angiogenic diseases, such as diabetic retinopathies, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis and endometriosis, and cancer.

[0063] The polymorphisms identified in the present invention that occur in intron regions or in the promoter region are not expected to alter the amino acid sequence of the flt-1 receptor, but may affect the transcription and/or message stability of the sequences and thus affect the level of the receptors in cells.

[0064] Assays, for example reporter-based assays, may be devised to detect whether one or more of the above polymorphisms affect transcription levels and/or message stability.

[0065] Individuals who carry particular allelic variants of the fit-1 gene, especially those within the promoter element, may therefore exhibit differences in receptor levels under different physiological conditions and will display altered abilities to react to different diseases. In addition, differences in receptor level arising as a result of allelic variation may have a direct effect on the response of an individual to drug therapy. Flt-1 polymorphism may therefore have the greatest effect on the efficacy of drugs designed to modulate the activity of the flt-1. However, the polymorphisms may also affect the response to agents acting on other biochemical pathways regulated by a flt-1 ligand. The diagnostic methods of the invention may therefore be useful both to predict the clinical response to such agents and to determine therapeutic dose.

[0066] In a further aspect, the diagnostic methods of the invention, are used to assess the predisposition and/or susceptibility of an individual to diseases mediated by an flt-1 ligand.

[0067] Flt-1 gene polymorphism may be particularly relevant in the development of diseases modulated by an flt-1 ligand. The present invention may be used to recognise individuals who are particularly at risk from developing these conditions.

[0068] In a further aspect, the diagnostic methods of the invention are used in the development of new drug therapies which selectively target one or more allelic variants of the fit-1 gene. Identification of a link between a particular allelic variant and predisposition to disease development or response to drug therapy may have a significant impact on the design of new drugs. Drugs may be designed to regulate the biological activity of variants implicated in the disease process whilst minimising effects on other variants.

[0069] In a further diagnostic aspect of the invention the presence or absence of variant nucleotides is detected by reference to the loss or gain of, optionally engineered, sites recognised by restriction enzymes. For example the polymorphism at position 3888 (numbering according to EMBL sequence X51602) that alters the third base of codon 1213 can be detected by digestion with the restriction enzyme Sna 1B, as polymorphism at this position creates a Sna 1B recognition sequence (TACGTA).

[0070] Engineered sites include those wherein the primer sequences employed to amplify the target sequence participates along with the nucleotide polymorphism to create a restriction site For example, the polymorphism at position 519 (numbering according to EMBL sequence D64016) can be detected by diagnostic engineered RFLP digestion with the restriction enzyme Sph 1, since modification of position 516 creates a potential Sph 1 I recognition sequence (GCATGC). Polymorphism at position 519 will modify the recognition sequence (GCAC/TGC).

[0071] The person of ordinary skill will be able to design and implement diagnostic procedures based on the detection of restriction fragment length polymorphism due to the loss or gain of one or more of the sites.

[0072] According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a nucleic acid comprising any one of the following polymorphisms:

[0073] the nucleic acid disclosed in EMBL Accession Number X51602 with A at position 1953 according to the nucleotide positioning therein;

[0074] the nucleic acid sequence disclosed in EMBL Accession Number X51602 with T at position 3453 according to the nucleotide positioning therein;

[0075] the nucleic acid sequence disclosed in EMBL Accession Number X51602 with C at position 3888 according to the nucleotide positioning therein;

[0076] the nucleic acid sequence disclosed in EMBL Accession Number D64016 with T at position 519 according to the nucleotide positioning therein;

[0077] the nucleic acid sequence disclosed in EMBL Accession Number D64016 with T at position 786 according to the nucleotide positioning therein;

[0078] the nucleic acid sequence disclosed in EMBL Accession Number D64016 with T at position 1422 according to the nucleotide positioning therein;

[0079] the nucleic acid sequence disclosed in EMBL Accession Number D64016 with T at position 1429 according to the nucleotide positioning therein;

[0080] the nucleic acid sequence disclosed in SEQ ID No. 3 with G at position 454 according to the nucleotide positioning therein;

[0081] the nucleic acid sequence disclosed in SEQ ID No. 3 with A at position 454 according to the nucleotide positioning therein;

[0082] the nucleic acid sequence disclosed in SEQ ID No. 5 with T at position 696 according to the nucleotide positioning therein;

[0083] the nucleic acid sequence disclosed in SEQ ID No. 5 with C at position 696 according to the nucleotide positioning therein;

[0084] or a complementary strand thereof or a fragment thereof of at least 17 bases comprising at least one of the polymorphisms.

[0085] According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided an isolated nucleic acid comprising at least 17 consecutive bases of flt-1 gene said nucleic acid comprising one or more of the following polymorphic alleles: A at position 1953 (according to X51602), T at position 3453 (according to X51602), C at position 3888 (according to X51602), T at position 519 (according to D64016), T at position 786 (according to D64016), T at position 1422 (according to D64016), T at position 1429 (according to D64016), A at position 454 (according to SEQ ID No. 3) and C at position 696 (according to SEQ ID No. 5), or a complementary strand thereof.

[0086] Fragments are at least 17 bases more preferably at least 20 bases, more preferably at least 30 bases.

[0087] The invention further provides nucleotide primers which detect the flt-1 gene polymorphisms of the invention. Such primers can be of any length, for example between 8 and 100 nucleotides in length, but will preferably be between 12 and 50 nucleotides in length, more preferable between 17 and 30 nucleotides in length.

[0088] According to another aspect of the present there is provided an allele specific primer capable of detecting an flt-1 gene polymorphism at one or more of positions: 1953, 3453, 3888 (each according to the position in EMBL accession number X51602), 519, 786, 1422, 1429 (each according to the position in EMBL accession number D64016), 454 (according to SEQ ID No. 3) and 696 (according to SEQ ID No. 5).

[0089] An allele specific primer is used, generally together with a constant primer, in an amplification reaction such as PCR, which provides the discrimination between alleles through selective amplification of one allele at a particular sequence position e.g. as used for ARMS™ allele specific amplification assays. The allele specific primer is preferably 17-50 nucleotides, more preferably about 17-35 nucleotides, more preferably about 17-30 nucleotides.

[0090] An allele specific primer preferably corresponds exactly with the allele to be detected but derivatives thereof are also contemplated wherein about 6-8 of the nucleotides at the 3′ terminus correspond with the allele to be detected and wherein up to 10, such as up to 8, 6, 4, 2, or 1 of the remaining nucleotides may be varied without significantly affecting the properties of the primer. Often the nucleotide at the −2 and/or −3 position (relative to the 3′ terminus) is mismatched in order to optimise differential primer binding and preferential extension from the correct allele discriminatory primer only

[0091] Primers may be manufactured using any convenient method of synthesis. Examples of such methods may be found in standard textbooks, for example “Protocols for Oligonucleotides and Analogues; Synthesis and Properties,” Methods in Molecular Biology Series; Volume 20; Ed. Sudhir Agrawal, Humana ISBN: 0-89603-247-7; 1993; 1^(st) Edition. If required the primer(s) may be labelled to facilitate detection.

[0092] According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided an allele-specific oligonucleotide probe capable of detecting a flt-1 gene polymorphism of the invention.

[0093] According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided an allele-specific oligonucleotide probe capable of detecting an flt-1 gene polymorphism at one or more of positions: 1953, 3453, 3888 (each according to the position in EMBL accession number X51602), 519, 786, 1422, 1429 (each according to the position in EMBL accession number D64016), 454 (according to SEQ ID No. 3) and 696 (according to SEQ ID No. 5), in the flt-1 gene.

[0094] The allele-specific oligonucleotide probe is preferably 17-50 nucleotides, more preferably about 17-35 nucleotides, more preferably about 17-30 nucleotides.

[0095] The design of such probes will be apparent to the molecular biologist of ordinary skill. Such probes are of any convenient length such as up to 50 bases, up to 40 bases, more conveniently up to 30 bases in length, such as for example 8-25 or 8-15 bases in length. In general such probes will comprise base sequences entirely complementary to the corresponding wild type or variant locus in the gene. However, if required one or more mismatches may be introduced, provided that the discriminatory power of the oligonucleotide probe is not unduly affected. Suitable oligonucleotide probes might be those consisting of or comprising the sequences depicted in SEQ ID Nos. 6-14 possessing one or other of the central allelic base differences (emboldened), or sequences complementary thereto. The probes or primers of the invention may carry one or more labels to facilitate detection, such as in Molecular Beacons.

[0096] According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a diagnostic kit comprising one or more allele-specific primers of the invention and/or one or more allele-specific oligonucleotide probe of the invention.

[0097] The diagnostic kits may comprise appropriate packaging and instructions for use in the methods of the invention. Such kits may further comprise appropriate buffer(s) and polymerase(s) such as thermostable polymerases, for example taq polymerase. Such kits may also comprise companion primers and/or control primers or probes. A companion primer is one that is part of the pair of primers used to perform PCR. Such primer usually complements the template strand precisely.

[0098] In another aspect of the invention, the single nucleotide polymorphisms of this invention may be used as genetic markers for this region in linkage studies. This particularly applies to the polymorphisms at positions 3453, 3888 (both according to the position in EMBL Accession No. X51602), position 1429 (according to the position in EMBL accession number D64016), position 454 (according to the position in SEQ ID No. 3) and position 696 (according to the position in SEQ ID No. 5) because of their relatively high frequency. Those polymorphisms that occur relatively infrequently are useful as markers of low frequency haplotypes.

[0099] According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of treating a human in need of treatment with an flt-1 ligand antagonist drug in which the method comprises:

[0100] i) diagnosis of a single nucleotide polymorphism in fit-i gene in the human, which diagnosis comprises determining the sequence of the nucleic acid at one or more of positions: 1953, 3453, 3888 (each according to the position in EMBL accession number X51602), 519, 786, 1422, 1429 (each according to the position in EMBL accession number D64016), 454 (according to SEQ ID No. 3) and 696 (according to SEQ ID No. 5);

[0101] ii) determining the status of the human by reference to polymorphism in the flt-1 gene; and ii) administering an effective amount of an flt-1 ligand antagonist drug.

[0102] Preferably determination of the status of the human is clinically useful. Examples of clinical usefulness include deciding which flt-1 ligand antagonist drug or drugs to administer and/or in deciding on the effective amount of the drug or drugs.

[0103] According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided use of an flt-1 ligand antagonist drug in the preparation of a medicament for treating a VEGF-mediated disease in a human diagnosed as having a single nucleotide polymorphism at one or more of positions: 1953, 3453, 3888 (each according to the position in EMBL accession number X51602), 519, 786, 1422, 1429 (each according to the position in EMBL accession number D64016), 454 (according to SEQ ID No. 3) and 696 (according to SEQ ID No. 5), in the flt-1 gene.

[0104] According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a pharmaceutical pack comprising an flt-1 ligand antagonist drug and instructions for administration of the drug to humans diagnostically tested for a single nucleotide polymorphism at one or more of positions: 1953, 3453, 3888 (each according to the position in EMBL accession number X51602), 519, 786, 1422, 1429 (each according to the position in EMBL accession number D64016), 454 (according to SEQ ID No. 3) and 696 (according to SEQ ID No. 5), in the fit-1 gene.

[0105] According to another aspect of the invention there is provided an isolated nucleic acid sequence comprising the sequence selected from the group consisting of:

[0106] (i) the nucleotide sequence from positions 1-482 of SEQ ID No. 1;

[0107] (ii) the nucleotide sequence from positions 616-1073 of SEQ ID No. 1;

[0108] (iii) the nucleotide sequence from positions 1-437 of SEQ ID No. 2;

[0109] (iv) the nucleotide sequence from positions 595-1024 of SEQ ID No. 2;

[0110] (v) the nucleotide sequence from positions 1123-1480 of SEQ ID No. 2;

[0111] (vi) the nucleotide sequence from positions 1-266 of SEQ ID No. 3;

[0112] (vii) the nucleotide sequence from positions 279-726 of SEQ ID No. 3;

[0113] (viii) the nucleotide sequence from positions 1-284 of SEQ ID No. 4;

[0114] (ix) the nucleotide sequence from positions 391-651 of SEQ ID No. 4;

[0115] (x) the nucleotide sequence from positions 795-1352 of SEQ ID No. 4;

[0116] (xi) the nucleotide sequence from positions 1-579 of SEQ ID No. 5;

[0117] (xii) the nucleotide sequence from positions 665-1256 of SEQ ID No. 5;

[0118] (xiii) a nucleotide sequence having at least 80%, preferably at least 90%, sequence identity to a sequences (i)-(xii);

[0119] (xiv) an isolated fragment of (i)-(xiii); and

[0120] (xv) a nucleotide sequence fully complementary to (i)-(xiv).

[0121] In the above, group (xiii) relates to variants of the polynucleotide depicted in groups (i)-(xii). The variant of the polynucleotide may be a naturally occurring allelic variant, from the same species or a different species, or a non-naturally occurring allelic variant. As known in the art an allelic variant is an alternate form of a polynucleotide sequence which may have a deletion, addition or substitution of one or more nucleotides.

[0122] Sequence identity can be assessed by best-fit computer alignment analysis using suitable software such as Blast, Blast2, FastA, Fasta3 and PILEUP. Preferred software for use in assessing the percent identity, i.e how two polynucleotide sequences line up is PILEUP. Identity refers to direct matches. In the context of the present invention, two polynucleotide sequences with 90% identity have 90% of the nucleotides being identical and in a like position when aligned optimally allowing for up to 10, preferably up to 5 gaps. The present invention particularly relates to polynucleotides which hybridise to one or other of the polynucleotide sequences (i)-(xv), under stringent conditions. As used herein, stringent conditions are those conditions which enable sequences that possess at least 80%, preferably at least 90%, more preferably at least 95% and more preferably at least 98% sequence identity to hybridise together. Thus, nucleic acids which can hybridise to one or other of the nucleic acids of (i)-(xv), include nucleic acids which have at least 80%, preferably at least 90%, more preferably at least 95%, even more preferably at least 98% sequence identity and most preferably 100%, over at least a portion (at least 20, preferably 30 or more consecutive nucleotides) of the polynucleotide sequence of (i)-(xv) above.

[0123] As well as the novel intron sequences depicted in SEQ ID Nos. 1-5, smaller nucleic acid fragments thereof useful for example as oligonucleotide primers to amplify the flt-1 gene sequences or identify SNPs using any of the well known amplification systems such as the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), or fragments that can be used as diagnostic probes to identify corresponding nucleic acid sequences are also part of this invention. The invention thus includes polynucleotides of shorter length than the novel intron fit-1 sequences depicted in SEQ ID Nos. 1-5 that are capable of specifically hybridising to the sequences depicted herein. Such polynucleotides may be at least 17 nucleotides in length, preferably at least 20, more preferably at least 30 nucleotides in length and may be of any size up to and including or indeed, comprising the complete intron sequences depicted in SEQ ID Nos. 1-5.

[0124] An example of a suitable hybridisation solution when a nucleic acid is immobilised on a nylon membrane and the probe nucleic acid is greater than 300 bases or base pairs, say 500 bp, is: 6×SSC (saline sodium citrate), 0.5% SDS (sodium dodecyl sulphate), 1001 g/ml denatured, sonicated salmon sperm DNA. An example of a suitable hybridisation solution when a nucleic acid is immobilised on a nylon membrane and the probe is an oligonucleotide of between 12 and 50 bases is: 3M trimethylammonium chloride (TMACl), 0.01M sodium phosphate (pH 6.8), 1 mM EDTA (pH 7.6), 0.5% SDS, 100 μg/ml denatured, sonicated salmon sperm DNA and 0.1% dried skimmed milk. The hybridisation can be performed at 68° C. for at least 1 hour and the filters then washed at 68° C. in 1×SSC, or for higher stringency, 0.1×SSC/0.1% SDS. Hybridisation techniques are well advanced in the art. The person skilled in the art will be able to adapt the hybridisation conditions to ensure hybridisation of sequences with 80%, 90% or more identity.

[0125] A fragment can be any part of the full length sequence and may be single or double stranded or may comprise both single and double stranded regions. In a preferred embodiment, a fragment is a restriction enzyme fragment.

[0126] The nucleic acid sequences of the invention, particularly those relating to and identifying the single nucleotide polymorphisms identified herein represent a valuable information source with which to identify further sequences of similar identity and characterise individuals in terms of, for example, their identity, haplotype and other subgroupings, such as susceptibility to treatment with particular drugs. These approaches are most easily facilitated by storing the sequence information in a computer readable medium and then using the information in standard macromolecular structure programs or to search sequence databases using state of the art searching tools such as GCG (Genetics Computer Group), BlastX BlastP, BlastN, FASTA (refer to Altschul et al. J. Mol. Biol. 215:403-410, 1990). Thus, the nucleic acid sequences of the invention are particularly useful as components in databases useful for sequence identity, genome mapping, pharmacogenetics and other search analyses. Generally, the sequence information relating to the nucleic acid sequences and polymorphisms of the invention may be reduced to, converted into or stored in a tangible medium, such as a computer disk, preferably in a computer readable form. For example, chromatographic scan data or peak data, photographic scan or peak data, mass spectrographic data, sequence gel (or other) data.

[0127] The invention provides a computer readable medium having stored thereon one or more nucleic acid sequences of the invention. For example, a computer readable medium is provided comprising and having stored thereon a member selected from the group consisting of: a nucleic acid comprising the sequence of a nucleic acid of the invention, a nucleic acid consisting of a nucleic acid of the invention, a nucleic acid which comprises part of a nucleic acid of the invention, which part includes at least one of the polymorphisms of the invention, a set of nucleic acid sequences wherein the set includes at least one nucleic acid sequence of the invention, a data set comprising or consisting of a nucleic acid sequence of the invention or a part thereof comprising at least one of the polymorphisms identified herein. The computer readable medium can be any composition of matter used to store information or data, including, for example, floppy disks, tapes, chips, compact disks, digital disks, video disks, punch cards and hard drives.

[0128] In another aspect of the invention there is provided a computer readable medium having stored thereon a nucleic acid sequence comprising at least 20 consecutive bases of the flt-1 gene sequence, which sequence includes at least one of the polymorphisms at positions: 1953, 3453, 3888 (each according to the position in EMBL accession number X51602), 519, 786, 1422, 1429 (each according to the position in EMBL accession number D64016), 454 (according to SEQ ID No. 3) and 696 (according to SEQ ID No. 5).

[0129] In another aspect of the invention there is provided a computer readable medium having stored thereon a nucleic acid comprising any of the intron sequences disclosed in any of SEQ ID Nos. 1-5.

[0130] A computer based method is also provided for performing sequence identification, said method comprising the steps of providing a nucleic acid sequence comprising a polymorphism of the invention in a computer readable medium; and comparing said polymorphism containing nucleic acid sequence to at least one other nucleic acid or polypeptide sequence to identify identity (homology), i.e. screen for the presence of a polymorphism. Such a method is particularly useful in pharmacogenetic studies and in genome mapping studies.

[0131] In another aspect of the invention there is provided a method for performing sequence identification, said method comprising the steps of providing a nucleic acid sequence comprising at least 20 consecutive bases of the flt-1 gene sequence, which sequence includes at least one of the polymorphisms at positions: 1953, 3453, 3888 (each according to the position in EMBL accession number X51602), 519, 786, 1422, 1429 (each according to the position in EMBL accession number D64016), 454 (according to SEQ ID No. 3) and 696 (according to SEQ ID No. 5) in a computer readable medium; and comparing said nucleic acid sequence to at least one other nucleic acid sequence to identify identity.

[0132] In another aspect of the invention there is provided a method for performing sequence identification, said method comprising the steps of providing one or more of the following polymorphism containing nucleic acid sequences:

[0133] the nucleic acid disclosed in EMBL Accession Number X51602 with A at position 1953 according to the nucleotide positioning therein;

[0134] the nucleic acid sequence disclosed in EMBL Accession Number X51602 with T at position 3453 according to the nucleotide positioning therein;

[0135] the nucleic acid sequence disclosed in EMBL Accession Number X51602 with C at position 3888 according to the nucleotide positioning therein;

[0136] the nucleic acid sequence disclosed in EMBL Accession Number D64016 with T at position 519 according to the nucleotide positioning therein;

[0137] the nucleic acid sequence disclosed in EMBL Accession Number D64016 with T at position 786 according to the nucleotide positioning therein;

[0138] the nucleic acid sequence disclosed in EMBL Accession Number D64016 with T at position 1422 according to the nucleotide positioning therein;

[0139] the nucleic acid sequence disclosed in EMBL Accession Number D64016 with T at position 1429 according to the nucleotide positioning therein;

[0140] the nucleic acid sequence disclosed in SEQ ID No. 3 with G at position 454 according to the nucleotide positioning therein;

[0141] the nucleic acid sequence disclosed in SEQ ID No. 3 with A at position 454 according to the nucleotide positioning therein;

[0142] the nucleic acid sequence disclosed in SEQ ID No. 5 with T at position 696 according to the nucleotide positioning therein;

[0143] the nucleic acid sequence disclosed in SEQ ID No. 5 with C at position 696 according to the nucleotide positioning therein;

[0144] or a complementary strand thereof or a fragment thereof of at least 17 bases comprising at least one of the polymorphisms, and comparing said nucleic acid sequence to at least one other nucleic acid or polypeptide sequence to determine identity.

[0145] The invention will now be illustrated but not limited by reference to the following Examples. All temperatures are in degrees Celsius.

[0146] In the Examples below, unless otherwise stated, the following methodology and materials have been applied.

[0147] AMPLITAQ‰, available from Perkin-Elmer Cetus, is used as the source of thermostable DNA polymerase.

[0148] General molecular biology procedures can be followed from any of the methods described in “Molecular Cloning—A Laboratory Manual” Second Edition, Sambrook, Fritsch and Maniatis (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 1989).

[0149] Electropherograms were obtained in a standard manner: data was collected by ABI377 data collection software and the wave form generated by ABI Prism sequencing analysis (2.1.2).

EXAMPLES Example 1 Identification of Polymorphisms

[0150] A. Methods

[0151] The polymorphism scan of the coding region of the flt-1 gene was performed on cDNA generated from total RNA isolated from lymphoblastoid cell lines derived from unrelated individuals (Coriel Institute). The polymorphism scan of the 3′ UTR and promoter regions was performed on genomic DNA.

[0152] DNA Preparation

[0153] DNA was prepared from frozen blood samples collected in EDTA following protocol I (Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, p392, Sambrook, Fritsch and Maniatis, 2^(nd) Edition, Cold Spring Harbor Press, 1989) with the following modifications. The thawed blood was diluted in an equal volume of standard saline citrate instead of phosphate buffered saline to remove lysed red blood cells. Samples were extracted with phenol, then phenol/chloroform and then chloroform rather than with three phenol extractions. The DNA was dissolved in deionised water. Total RNA was isolated from lymphoblastoid cells and converted to cDNA by standard protocols (Current Protocols in Molecular Biology F M Ausubel et al Volume 1 John Wiley 1998)

[0154] Template Preparation

[0155] Templates were prepared by PCR using the oligonucleotide primers and annealing temperatures set out below. The extension temperature was 72° and denaturation temperature 940. Generally 50 ng of genomic DNA or cDNA was used in each reaction and subjected to 35 cycles of PCR. In some cases, two rounds of amplification were required to generate products from cDNA, the oligonucleotides used primary and secondary amplification are listed.

[0156] Dye Primer Sequencing

[0157] Dye-primer sequencing using M13 forward and reverse primers was as described in the ABI protocol P/N 402114 for the ABI Prism™ dye primer cycle sequencing core kit with “AmpliTaq FS”™ DNA polymerase, modified in that the annealing temperature was 450 and DMSO was added to the cycle sequencing mix to a final concentration of 5%.

[0158] The extension reactions for each base were pooled, ethanol/sodium acetate precipitated, washed and resuspended in formamide loading buffer. 4.25% Acrylamide gels were run on an automated sequencer (ABI 377, Applied Biosystems).

[0159] B. Results

[0160] Primer Design

[0161] 1. Primer Locations for Scan of Coding Region and 3′UTR

[0162] All locations in this section refer to EMBL Accession X51602

[0163] EMBL Accession Number X51602, 7680 bp

[0164] 5′ UTR (1-249), Coding (2504266), 3′UTR (4267-7680)

[0165] Exon Boundaries Within cDNA Exon Boundaries Exon 1  1-313 Exon 2 314-410 Exon 3 411-637 Exon 4 638-762 Exon 5 763-925 Exon 6  926-1062 Exon 7 1063-1237 Exon 8 1238-1355 Exon 9 1356-1525 Exon 10 1526-1685 Exon 11 1686-1800 Exon 12 1801-1909 Exon 13 1919-2218 Exon 14 2219-2365 Exon 15 2366-2497 Exon 16 2498-2604 Exon 17 2605-2737 Exon 18 2738-2842 Exon 19 2843-2956 Exon 20 2957-3045 Exon 21 3046-3202 Exon 22 3203-3300 Exon 23 3301-3423 Exon 24 3424-3535 Exon 25 3536-3635 Exon 26 3636-3741 Exon 27 3742-3884 Exon 28 3885-3969 Exon 29 3970-4064 Exon 30 4065-7680

[0166] Products requiring two stage amplification from c DNA

[0167] Primary Product Product Forward Primer Reverse Primer Temp ° C. Time 1777-3946 1777-1804 3919-3946 55 3 min

[0168] Secondary Products (Primary Product Diluted 1000×) Product Forward Primer Reverse Primer Temp ° C. Time a. 1854-2435 1854-1877 2412-2435 58 90 sec b. 2288-2879 2288-2311 2857-2879 58 90 sec c. 2723-3310 2723-2746 3288-3310 58 90 sec d. 3157-3748 3157-3180 3725-3748 58 90 sec

[0169] Products Amplified Directly from cDNA Product Forward Primer Reverse Primer Temp ° C. Time e.  293-696 292-313 673-696 55 90 sec f.  564-1133 564-587 1110-1133 55 90 sec g. 1031-1626 1031-1054 1603-1626 55 90 sec h. 1491-2046 1491-1514 2023-2046 55 90 sec i. 3662-4249 3662-3682 4226-4249 55 90 sec

[0170] Products Amplified from Genomic DNA Product Forward Primer Reverse Primer Temp ° C. Time j. 4163-4744 4163-4182 4721-4744 55 90 sec

[0171] 2. Primer Locations for Scan of Promoter, 5′ UTR, Exon 1

[0172] All locations in this section refer to EMBL Accession Number D64016

[0173] EMBL Accession Number D64016, 1745 bp

[0174] Promoter region, exon 1, intron 1 Product Forward Primer Reverse Primer Temp ° C. Time k.  14-479 14-34 456-479 55 90 sec l.  343-890 343-366 869-890 55 90 sec m.  762-1251 762-781 1232-1251 55 90 sec n. 1151-1694 1151-1172 1673-1694 55 90 sec

[0175] For dye-primer sequencing these primers were modified to include the M13 forward and reverse primer sequences (ABI protocol P/N 402114, Applied Biosystems) at the 5′ end of the forward and reverse oligonucleotides respectively.

[0176] Novel Polymorphisms

[0177] Novel Polymorphisms Within Coding Region—Numbering Refers to EMBL Accession Number X51602 (1) Position Polymorphism Allele Frequency No of Individuals 1953 G/A G 90% A 10% 31

[0178] Polymorphism at position 1953 alters the third base of codon 568 (Threonine ACG/ACA). It has been shown that single nucleotide polymorphisms can cause different structural folds of mRNA with potentially different biological functions (Shen et al 1999, ibid). The polymorphism can be detected by a diagnostic e RFLP since engineering of positions 1949, 1950 creates a BsiWI recognition sequence (CGTACG). Polymorphism at position 1953 will modify the recognition sequence (CGTACG/A).

[0179] Diagnostic Primer (Positions 1919-1952 in X51602)

[0180] ATGGGTTTCATGTTAACTTGGAAAAAATGCGTAC

[0181] modified residues in bold underline

[0182] Reverse Primer (Positions 2098-2125 in X51602)

[0183] CATTCATGATGGTAAGATTAAGAGTGAT

[0184] Amplification of genomic DNA with these primers will generate a PCR product of 206 bp. Digestion of a product from a wild type template with BsiWI (New England Biolabs) will give rise to products of 168 bp and 38 bp. Digestion of a heterozygote product will generate products of 206 bp, 168 bp and 38 bp. A product generated from a homozygote variant will not be digested by BsiWI. Products can be separated and visualised on agarose gels following standard procedures (i.e. Molecular Cloning: Sambrook et al., 1989, ibid). (2) Position Polymorphism Allele Frequency No of Individuals 3453 C/T C 70% T 30% 23

[0185] Polymorphism at position 3453 alters the third base of codon 1068 (Proline-CCC/CCT). It has been shown that single nucleotide polymorphisms can cause different structural folds of mRNA with potentially different biological functions (Shen et al 1999, ibid). The polymorphism at position 3453 can be detected by a diagnostic e RFLP, since modification of positions 3455, 3456, 3457 creates a PstI recognition sequence (CTGCAG). Polymorphism at position 3453 will modify the recognition sequence (CTGCA/TG).

[0186] Diagnostic Primer (Reverse, Positions 3487-3454 in X51602, Equivalent to Positions 330297 in Seq ID No 3)

[0187] TCTTGGTTGCTGTAGATTTTGTCAAAGATAGCTGC

[0188] Modified residues in bold underline

[0189] Forward Primer (position 193-216 in Seq ID No 3)

[0190] ACCCCATGGACACTCGGGTTGAAT

[0191] Amplification of genomic DNA with these primers will generate a PCR product of 137 bp. A product generated from a wild type template will not be digested by PstI (New England Biolabs). Digestion of a heterozygote product will give rise to products of 137 bp, 102 bp and 35 bp, digestion of a homozygous product will give rise to products of 102 bp and 35 bp. Products can be separated and visualised on agarose gels following standard procedures (i.e. Molecular Cloning: Sambrook et al., 1989, ibid). (3) Position Polymorphism Allele Frequency No of Individuals 3888 T/C T 74% C 26% 23

[0192] Polymorphism at position 3888 alters the third base of codon 1213 (Tyrosine TAT/TAC). It has been shown that single nucleotide polymorphisms can cause different structural folds of mRNA with potentially different biological functions (Shen et al 1999, ibid). Polymorphism at position 3888 creates a Sna1B recognition sequence (TACGTA).

[0193] Forward Primer (Positions 362-385 in Seq ID No 5)

[0194] CCTCAACCCTACAGAATGTGAATTG

[0195] Reverse Primer (Positions 828-804 in Seq ID No 5)

[0196] CAGCTAGGTCTAGTTGTCAGTCCTC

[0197] Amplification of genomic DNA with these primers will generate a PCR product of 467 bp. A product generated from a wild type template will not be digested by Sna1B (New England Biolabs). Digestion of a heterozygote product will give rise to products of 467 bp, 245 bp and 222 bp, digestion of a homozygous variant product will generate products of 245 bp and 222 bp. Products can be separated and visualised on agarose gels following standard procedures (i.e. Molecular Cloning: Sambrook et al., 1989, ibid).

[0198] Novel Polymorphisms Within Promoter and 5′UTR-Numbering Refers to EMBL Accession Number D64016 (4) Position Polymorphism Allele Frequency No of Individuals 519 C/T C 97% T 3% 34

[0199] The polymorphism at position 519 can be detected by a diagnostic e RFLP, since modification of position 516 creates a potential SphI recognition sequence (GCATGC). Polymorphism at position 519 will modify the recognition sequence (GCAC/TGC).

[0200] Diagnostic Primer (Positions 485-518 in D64016)

[0201] GGGTGCATCAATGCGGCCGAAAAAGACACGGCA

[0202] Modified residues in bold underline

[0203] Constant Primer (Positions 724-741 in D64016) GTGTTCTTGGCACGGAGG

[0204] Amplification of genomic DNA with these primers will generate a PCR product of 256 bp. A product generated from a wild type template will not be digested by SphI (New England Biolabs). Digestion of a heterozygote product will generate products of 256 bp, 221 bp and 35 bp, digestion of a homozygote variant product will generate products of 221 bp and 35 bp. Products can be separated and visualised on agarose gels following standard procedures (i.e. Molecular Cloning: Sambrook et al., 1989, ibid). (5) Position Polymorphism Allele Frequency No of Individuals 786 C/T C 98% T 2% 50

[0205] The polymorphism at position 786 can be detected by a diagnostic e RFLP, since modification of position 781,782 creates a NarI recognition sequence (GGCGCC). Polymorphism at position 786 will modify the recognition sequence (GGCGCC/T).

[0206] Diagnostic Primer (Positions 751-785 in D64016)

[0207] GGCGCGGCCAGCTTCCCTTGGATCGGACTTGGCGC

[0208] Modified residues in bold underline

[0209] Constant Primer (Positions 869-890 in D64016)

[0210] Amplification of genomic DNA with these products will generate a PCR product of 139 bp. Digestion of a product from a wild type template with NarI (New England Biolabs) will generate products of 105 bp and 34 bp. Digestion of a heterozygote product will generate products of 139 bp, 105 bp and 34 bp. The homozygous variant product will not be digested by NarI. Products can be separated and visualised on agarose gels following standard procedures (i.e. Molecular Cloning: Sambrook et al., 1989, ibid). (6) Position Polymorphism Allele Frequency No of Individuals 1422 C/T C 98% T 2% 25

[0211] Polymorphism at position 1422 alters an EagI recognition sequence (CGGC/TCG).

[0212] Forward Primer (Positions ¹²⁵I-1272 in D64016)

[0213] Reverse primer (Positions 1673-1694 in D64016)

[0214] Amplification of genomic DNA with these primers generates a PCR product of 443 bp. Digestion of product from a wild type template with Eag I (New England Biolabs) will generate products of 271 bp and 143 bp. Digestion of a heterozygote product will generate products of 443 bp, 271 bp and 143 bp. The homozygous variant product will not be cleaved by Eag I. Products can be separated and visualised on agarose gels following standard procedures (i.e. Molecular Cloning: Sambrook et al., 1989, ibid). (7) Position Polymorphism Allele Frequency No of Individuals 1429 G/T G 76% T 24% 25

[0215] The polymorphism at position 1429 can be detected by a diagnostic e RFLP, since modification of position 1431,1432 creates a Hinc II recognition sequence (GTTGAC). Polymorphism at position 1429 will modify the recognition sequence (G/TTTGAC).

[0216] Diagnostic primer (Reverse, positions 1430-1463 in D64016)

[0217] CTGCTCGCCCGGTGCCCGCGCTCCCCGCGGTTAA

[0218] Modified bases in bold underline

[0219] Constant Primer (Forward, Positions ¹²⁵I-1272 in D64016) Amplification of genomic DNA with these primers will generate a PCR product of 212 bp. Digestion of product from a wild type template with Hinc II (New England Biolabs) will generate products of 178 bp and 34 bp, digestion of a heterozygote product will give rise to products of 212 bp, 178 bp and 34 bp. A homozygote variant product will not be digested by Hinc II. Products can be separated and visualised on agarose gels following standard procedures (i.e. Molecular Cloning: Sambrook et al., 1989, ibid).

[0220] Novel Polymorphism Identified in Intron 24

[0221] Primer Locations for Scan of Intron 24, All Locations in this Section Refer to Seq ID No 3. Product Forward Primer Reverse Primer Temp Time 193-538 193-216 538-515 55° C. 90 sec Position Polymorphism Allele Frequency No of Individuals 454 G/A G 76% A 24% 23

[0222] Novel Polymorphism Identified in Intron 28

[0223] Primer Locations for Scan of Intron 28, All Locations in this Section Refer to Seq ID No 5. Product Forward Primer Reverse Primer Temp Time 362-828 362-385 828-804 55° C. 90 sec Position Polymorphism Allele Frequency No of Individuals 696 T/C T 76% C 24% 23

[0224] Novel Genomic Sequence Flanking Exons Within the Human flt-1 Gene

[0225] Two overlapping BAC Clones were isolated—51L6 (5′) and 87P12 (3′) Sequencing Primers (positions refer to Accession X 51602) Exon 17 (BAC clone 87P12) Forward 2641-2664 Reverse 2664-2641 Exon 21 (BAC clone 87P12) Forward 1357-1380 Reverse 1380-1357 Exon 24 (BAC clone 87P12) Forward 3452-3478 Reverse 3529-3506 Exon 27 (BAC clone 87P12) Forward 3785-3811 Reverse 3811-3785 Exon 28 (BAC Clone 87P12) Forward 3918-3946 Reverse 3946-3918

[0226]

1 27 1 1073 DNA Homo sapiens misc_feature (1)...(1073) n = A,T,C or G 1 gggtttactt tgccacttct tgcttttcct atatatgtag aaaagccaca gtgcgcccca 60 ctgttggccc atatgtaata tatattcctg cttatacaag atggccatgg gaagttattt 120 ttagtcattg tttggaatga ctttataaaa atgctttgca ttttttagca agaccatcat 180 ataattgttt aagatcaagt acaacacata aggtcactgg agaatttgag tgcatgttat 240 ccaagatagg atggtagagc tcacattaca gaaatgtagt gtgggaatag taaggagtcg 300 tttaatagaa attgcacacc taagtgtgat gagtgtatgt gaatgtggag aagtactttc 360 tgcacctggc cacacagttt caaccaaatg atcccnaaat aaaacagtgg atgttaacgg 420 aatatctagg atttgtaaag ttgttttctt ctcgatgact ttgagatctc tttatttctc 480 agtcttcttc tgaaataaag actgactacc tatcaattat aatggaccca gatgaagttc 540 ctttggatga gcagtgtgag cggctccctt atgatgccag caagtgggag tttgcccggg 600 agagacttaa actgggtaag atatttgttc aacagattca taaacctata ctgagcacat 660 attacatgaa aaacactgtg ctttgagaga tgcgaaagta aactagacct gggattctac 720 cctccagctg ctcacagact agcaagggag atggacacaa aagtaaataa ttccaatgca 780 atgctcagat aacagtacaa ggtgacacgc agcacctgtt tgttcttgca acagttatta 840 ggcaccttct ctgagcagca gacactggtc taagccctgg agacacaaag gtgcttgcat 900 ctcttccctc aaagggctca gtctggagat aggtgcaaaa gtggtaagtg aaggggggcg 960 gagagagagg cattacaagt acacgcacgc ttcataatga aactgttgag ggattagaaa 1020 tatgtgatcc agaacataat tgagggtggc aaggaacagt gaaatcaaca ttc 1073 2 1480 DNA Homo sapiens misc_feature (1)...(1480) n = A,T,C or G 2 cactgtgccc ggccagcttt gctatttatt agctgcatgt gaatttgatt actttacttc 60 tctgaacctg tttctccatg tataaataag aactacttcg taaaattgtt ggaaacacta 120 aacaagaaat gnacctaaag cttttaatat accagctcac acagagtaag cattcagtaa 180 atacccacca ctcttaattt ttttttttta tctgatctaa gatgctgtct agaagcccag 240 gcaagagcac aatagactct gcaactccag aggtagtcag gctcctggac accgtagggc 300 ccctgtgcta gttcacgatc cattttgaga agtgaaacgc tctcatttct catcaggcna 360 ttgccagttg agggactggt ttcccnctgc tgtgctggag ctccttttca cctgggtcct 420 tttcggtctc ttcaaaggat gcagcactac acatggagcc taagaaagaa aaaatggagc 480 caggcctgga acaaggcaag aaaccaagac tagatagcgt caccagcagc gaaagctttg 540 cgagctccgg ctttcaggaa gataaaagtc tgagtgatgt tgaggaagag gagggtaggt 600 attaattcct tcctgtccta cgcgctgaga tatttttaca acatactatg catctctgaa 660 atttttttct tatttatcac tctaataaac atccgtggga gactcgaatg gtaatgtcct 720 gaggagataa gatttgaatt aagataattt acagagttac taattttgac agggaactgt 780 accgttttct cccctcaggg attttcatct taatggatca tccccctgcc cccatgcttg 840 gataaagtgg gctggaggcc tggaaaaatc tctggtgttc atgttgaaac tcaaatactc 900 ttaaaaatga actctgatct acttgttggt ttgttttatg ttttgctaac attgttccaa 960 taaactggga tttggtggga taacaagagc cattacaaac agttacggtt ctaatgcttt 1020 ccagattctg acggtttcta caaggagccc atcactatgg aagatctgat ttcttacagt 1080 tttcaagtgg ccagaggcat ggagttcctg tcttccagaa aggtcagtct tgctgtttac 1140 tgtttttctt ctctgccagg gctggacaca cacctttgct ataaattcat ttttcctagt 1200 atttgctgat acctatgttc ttaaatgtag aacaaacacc actgcaagtg ccttaatttg 1260 ccttgatatg aggagttttg agaatgagga gtcatggata ccagtggata gaacttaatt 1320 ctggggaaaa ctcacaggtt tcagactaga caaacctggc atcggctctc cacagtatcc 1380 tctggcatat tttcaaatct ggcccaaatc tcagaagaca tgacttcata ggagagctac 1440 tattaatata gccatatagg gccctcccac aaaactgcag 1480 3 726 DNA Homo sapiens misc_feature (1)...(726) n = A,T,C or G 3 cagagctatg cagataagga catgctgaac acatcagagg ggcttactga acatatacng 60 ccttcatggg actcagtata gcactctagc tccctctttt agcgtaacac tgcatactat 120 ggtgttctct atgttaggaa accagagctg ctctcggaaa tgatttatag gccgtatgtt 180 atctgggagg tgaccccatg gacactcggg ttgaatgtgc tttgttttca tgcccttctg 240 ctcaaggccc ccttgccctc ttctagactc gacttcctct gaaatggatg gctcctgaat 300 ctatctttga caaaatctac agcaccaaga gcgacgtgtg gtcttacgga gtattgctgt 360 gggaaatctt ctccttaggt aaatttggga gaaggaagaa atcaaacagc ccagaaataa 420 atgtctgcat cttctgctga atgtcctttg gttggacagc ctttagatta gaacctactg 480 taacaaaaaa ctcttaaagt gtaatgggcc catgtagact ctcagatgag taatggcgta 540 cgcatgtctg ccctctactg taaaagggct ttatatgatc atgaacaagg tcagaacaag 600 gtcatgtaaa agggctttat acgatcatga acaagggtat aaagtctgaa gcaaagtact 660 ttttctgtac tttgccaatt ctgccttttc aattcctcaa cacccacacc tctaatgccc 720 ttaccg 726 4 1352 DNA Homo sapiens misc_feature (1)...(1352) n = A,T,C or G 4 ctgcagaggc cacaggcaca acaaagaacc tgggtatcca tgagctctgg tgggttggtt 60 agtctgcctt ggtagacgtg ttttccactg accacaggac ctggcccaga cagcctttta 120 agtgctggtg ctataaaccc aaacctaaaa atgaagcagg gtcacatagt acagaaagct 180 tgggctttat gcggatgatg acagccctcc ctttgtagta cgtaaggcaa tgcataggat 240 gatcactgct ctccaactat ttctgttgct gttttcccca ccagctatca gatcatgctg 300 gactgctggc acagagaccc aaaagaaagg ccaagatttg cagaacttgt ggaaaaacta 360 ggtgatttgc ttcaagcaaa tgtacaacag gtaaaactaa atttatctac atcaaaatgc 420 ctttgaatgt acgtcagggg ggcattttat ttgttttttt tttaagagct attaatataa 480 tagctgagat cagaagttta aaaaaagggt gtgtgtgtgt gtatacagaa ttatcttctc 540 aaaacacaac caagattgtg gcaaatgaca tagtcaaagt tgacataatg gttcatagaa 600 attgttgaag tcagaattgg tgcaacgaga gctctacctt tggtatttta ggatggtaaa 660 gactacatcc caatcaatgc catactgaca ggaaatagtg ggtttacata ctcaactcct 720 gccttctctg aggacttctt caaggaaagt atttcagctc cgaagtttaa ttcaggaagc 780 tctgatgatg tcaggtaaga tttctttctc aaactttata tcacagaatt ttccaacaaa 840 aaaaagaaag aaagaaagac gaaagagaaa gaaagacnga aagagagaaa gaaagagaga 900 aagaaagaaa gagagaaaga aagaaagaaa gattatgttg atcaccaccc atatgcccat 960 cccctaaatt caactgttaa cattttgccc tattttgtct attatactct ctatgattgt 1020 gtttgttacg gatttttctt tttgccaaac catttaaaag gaggcttaaa gcataatagc 1080 actttactcc taaatacttt agtatacatt ttgtaagaag gctattgttg ctgggcacag 1140 tggctcgtgc ctgtaatcgc agcactttgg gagactgagg tgggaggatc acttgagcct 1200 aggagttcaa aatctgcctc ggcaacatag agagacctca tcttactaaa aatttaaaaa 1260 ttagccgggt gtggtggtgg gcacctgtag tcccagctac tcaggaggct gaggttggag 1320 gatcacttga gcccaggaga tggaggctgc ag 1352 5 1256 DNA Homo sapiens 5 agtggatgtc tccaatagtc tttcctaata catcatcaac aaaaggtcag taggtagtta 60 tagagacatc atacaacact acccaattct tcccaatctg taatcacaca cacacacaaa 120 atacaagcct ggcactagca ctcgattatg ccattaaata atatttagcc gtgtagccat 180 gccaggtcac tttgccacct cacatccttt tcagagcacc tgataaagtc ataccacttc 240 cctgcacatc atttctctcc tgtgccattg ggcactcaga cgagatgatg cctccagtct 300 ctcctacgtc tggcattctc tgatttcaca acggaccaga gtaggtccct ctgggagttt 360 cctcaaccct acagaatgtg aattgacaac cacgggaggc agtggcaatg ctgtcaggat 420 tcccaggggt cacggcgggg agatcggggc ctcaggagtt aggtgattcc tgttggtgtg 480 ttggttcatc ttagctggga tatggtgcct gtggtctcct gactcattag agctggatgc 540 cttttcctgt cttgataatt ctttctgttt cttcattaga tatgtaaatg ctttcaagtt 600 catgagcctg gaaagaatca aaacctttga agaactttta ccgaatgcca cctccatgtt 660 tgatgtaagt cgtgaagtta aggtacctag tgcactccga tagacccctt cttcagatcc 720 cttccaaaca ccaacgccag taatgtagta gttcttggtc agtgagggtc tggattcagg 780 agtggctgaa atgacagtgt ggggaggact gacaactaga cctagctgtg cagaactaat 840 ttgaaagtag agttccatgc actcactcca ggacccaagt ccctgcgtgg taggaattta 900 gaccctgagg aaactccatt gtgtgtttct aagctgctta gctgtcagtg atgcagcttt 960 gctttcagag taacagagga actcccagct gtgtgggtga tgggctttgt gatgtaacag 1020 agagcgcgtt cctgcaagca gccttgaggc tgggaggggt ccacctaagc cttatgctcc 1080 tttcccctga ggttctacag attgaacagc tgtgttccta cccaatcaca atgggagaag 1140 ctaaccagta tagcctggca aacaagaggt cttccagctc ttctctctaa agccctgtga 1200 tgtggggttg aggggctaag gggaggagag gagcatgggc aggagcgata ctgcag 1256 6 31 DNA Homo sapiens 6 ggaaaaaatg ccgacrgaag gagaggacct g 31 7 31 DNA Homo sapiens 7 gaaatggatg gctccygaat ctatctttga c 31 8 31 DNA Homo sapiens 8 tgatgatgtc agataygtaa atgctttcaa g 31 9 31 DNA Homo sapiens 9 aaaaagacac ggacaygctc ccctgggacc t 31 10 31 DNA Homo sapiens 10 gatcggactt tccgcyccta gggccaggcg g 31 11 31 DNA Homo sapiens 11 gacggactct ggcggycggg tctttggccg c 31 12 31 DNA Homo sapiens 12 tctggcggcc gggtckttgg ccgcggggag c 31 13 31 DNA Homo sapiens 13 gaatgtcctt tggttrgaca gcctttagat t 31 14 31 DNA Homo sapiens 14 aggtacctag tgcacyccga tagacccctt c 31 15 34 DNA Homo sapiens 15 atgggtttca tgttaacttg gaaaaaatgc gtac 34 16 28 DNA Homo sapiens 16 cattcatgat ggtaagatta agagtgat 28 17 35 DNA Homo sapiens 17 tcttggttgc tgtagatttt gtcaaagata gctgc 35 18 24 DNA Homo sapiens 18 accccatgga cactcgggtt gaat 24 19 25 DNA Homo sapiens 19 cctcaaccct acagaatgtg aattg 25 20 25 DNA Homo sapiens 20 cagctaggtc tagttgtcag tcctc 25 21 33 DNA Homo sapiens 21 gggtgcatca atgcggccga aaaagacacg gca 33 22 18 DNA Homo sapiens 22 gtgttcttgg cacggagg 18 23 35 DNA Homo sapiens 23 ggcgcggcca gcttcccttg gatcggactt ggcgc 35 24 34 DNA Homo sapiens 24 ctgctcgccc ggtgcccgcg ctccccgcgg ttaa 34 25 7680 DNA Homo sapiens CDS (250)...(4266) 25 gcggacactc ctctcggctc ctccccggca gcggcggcgg ctcggagcgg gctccggggc 60 tcgggtgcag cggccagcgg gcctggcggc gaggattacc cggggaagtg gttgtctcct 120 ggctggagcc gcgagacggg cgctcagggc gcggggccgg cggcggcgaa cgagaggacg 180 gactctggcg gccgggtcgt tggccggggg agcgcgggca ccgggcgagc aggccgcgtc 240 gcgctcacc atg gtc agc tac tgg gac acc ggg gtc ctg ctg tgc gcg ctg 291 Met Val Ser Tyr Trp Asp Thr Gly Val Leu Leu Cys Ala Leu 1 5 10 ctc agc tgt ctg ctt ctc aca gga tct agt tca ggt tca aaa tta aaa 339 Leu Ser Cys Leu Leu Leu Thr Gly Ser Ser Ser Gly Ser Lys Leu Lys 15 20 25 30 gat cct gaa ctg agt tta aaa ggc acc cag cac atc atg caa gca ggc 387 Asp Pro Glu Leu Ser Leu Lys Gly Thr Gln His Ile Met Gln Ala Gly 35 40 45 cag aca ctg cat ctc caa tgc agg ggg gaa gca gcc cat aaa tgg tct 435 Gln Thr Leu His Leu Gln Cys Arg Gly Glu Ala Ala His Lys Trp Ser 50 55 60 ttg cct gaa atg gtg agt aag gaa agc gaa agg ctg agc ata act aaa 483 Leu Pro Glu Met Val Ser Lys Glu Ser Glu Arg Leu Ser Ile Thr Lys 65 70 75 tct gcc tgt gga aga aat ggc aaa caa ttc tgc agt act tta acc ttg 531 Ser Ala Cys Gly Arg Asn Gly Lys Gln Phe Cys Ser Thr Leu Thr Leu 80 85 90 aac aca gct caa gca aac cac act ggc ttc tac agc tgc aaa tat cta 579 Asn Thr Ala Gln Ala Asn His Thr Gly Phe Tyr Ser Cys Lys Tyr Leu 95 100 105 110 gct gta cct act tca aag aag aag gaa aca gaa tct gca atc tat ata 627 Ala Val Pro Thr Ser Lys Lys Lys Glu Thr Glu Ser Ala Ile Tyr Ile 115 120 125 ttt att agt gat aca ggt aga cct ttc gta gag atg tac agt gaa atc 675 Phe Ile Ser Asp Thr Gly Arg Pro Phe Val Glu Met Tyr Ser Glu Ile 130 135 140 ccc gaa att ata cac atg act gaa gga agg gag ctc gtc att ccc tgc 723 Pro Glu Ile Ile His Met Thr Glu Gly Arg Glu Leu Val Ile Pro Cys 145 150 155 cgg gtt acg tca cct aac atc act gtt act tta aaa aag ttt cca ctt 771 Arg Val Thr Ser Pro Asn Ile Thr Val Thr Leu Lys Lys Phe Pro Leu 160 165 170 gac act ttg atc cct gat gga aaa cgc ata atc tgg gac agt aga aag 819 Asp Thr Leu Ile Pro Asp Gly Lys Arg Ile Ile Trp Asp Ser Arg Lys 175 180 185 190 ggc ttc atc ata tca aat gca acg tac aaa gaa ata ggg ctt ctg acc 867 Gly Phe Ile Ile Ser Asn Ala Thr Tyr Lys Glu Ile Gly Leu Leu Thr 195 200 205 tgt gaa gca aca gtc aat ggg cat ttg tat aag aca aac tat ctc aca 915 Cys Glu Ala Thr Val Asn Gly His Leu Tyr Lys Thr Asn Tyr Leu Thr 210 215 220 cat cga caa acc aat aca atc ata gat gtc caa ata agc aca cca cgc 963 His Arg Gln Thr Asn Thr Ile Ile Asp Val Gln Ile Ser Thr Pro Arg 225 230 235 cca gtc aaa tta ctt aga ggc cat act ctt gtc ctc aat tgt act gct 1011 Pro Val Lys Leu Leu Arg Gly His Thr Leu Val Leu Asn Cys Thr Ala 240 245 250 acc act ccc ttg aac acg aga gtt caa atg acc tgg agt tac cct gat 1059 Thr Thr Pro Leu Asn Thr Arg Val Gln Met Thr Trp Ser Tyr Pro Asp 255 260 265 270 gaa aaa aat aag aga gct tcc gta agg cga cga att gac caa agc aat 1107 Glu Lys Asn Lys Arg Ala Ser Val Arg Arg Arg Ile Asp Gln Ser Asn 275 280 285 tcc cat gcc aac ata ttc tac agt gtt ctt act att gac aaa atg cag 1155 Ser His Ala Asn Ile Phe Tyr Ser Val Leu Thr Ile Asp Lys Met Gln 290 295 300 aac aaa gac aaa gga ctt tat act tgt cgt gta agg agt gga cca tca 1203 Asn Lys Asp Lys Gly Leu Tyr Thr Cys Arg Val Arg Ser Gly Pro Ser 305 310 315 ttc aaa tct gtt aac acc tca gtg cat ata tat gat aaa gca ttc atc 1251 Phe Lys Ser Val Asn Thr Ser Val His Ile Tyr Asp Lys Ala Phe Ile 320 325 330 act gtg aaa cat cga aaa cag cag gtg ctt gaa acc gta gct ggc aag 1299 Thr Val Lys His Arg Lys Gln Gln Val Leu Glu Thr Val Ala Gly Lys 335 340 345 350 cgg tct tac cgg ctc tct atg aaa gtg aag gca ttt ccc tcg ccg gaa 1347 Arg Ser Tyr Arg Leu Ser Met Lys Val Lys Ala Phe Pro Ser Pro Glu 355 360 365 gtt gta tgg tta aaa gat ggg tta cct gcg act gag aaa tct gct cgc 1395 Val Val Trp Leu Lys Asp Gly Leu Pro Ala Thr Glu Lys Ser Ala Arg 370 375 380 tat ttg act cgt ggc tac tcg tta att atc aag gac gta act gaa gag 1443 Tyr Leu Thr Arg Gly Tyr Ser Leu Ile Ile Lys Asp Val Thr Glu Glu 385 390 395 gat gca ggg aat tat aca atc ttg ctg agc ata aaa cag tca aat gtg 1491 Asp Ala Gly Asn Tyr Thr Ile Leu Leu Ser Ile Lys Gln Ser Asn Val 400 405 410 ttt aaa aac ctc act gcc act cta att gtc aat gtg aaa ccc cag att 1539 Phe Lys Asn Leu Thr Ala Thr Leu Ile Val Asn Val Lys Pro Gln Ile 415 420 425 430 tac gaa aag gcc gtg tca tcg ttt cca gac ccg gct ctc tac cca ctg 1587 Tyr Glu Lys Ala Val Ser Ser Phe Pro Asp Pro Ala Leu Tyr Pro Leu 435 440 445 ggc agc aga caa atc ctg act tgt acc gca tat ggt atc cct caa cct 1635 Gly Ser Arg Gln Ile Leu Thr Cys Thr Ala Tyr Gly Ile Pro Gln Pro 450 455 460 aca atc aag tgg ttc tgg cac ccc tgt aac cat aat cat tcc gaa gca 1683 Thr Ile Lys Trp Phe Trp His Pro Cys Asn His Asn His Ser Glu Ala 465 470 475 agg tgt gac ttt tgt tcc aat aat gaa gag tcc ttt atc ctg gat gct 1731 Arg Cys Asp Phe Cys Ser Asn Asn Glu Glu Ser Phe Ile Leu Asp Ala 480 485 490 gac agc aac atg gga aac aga att gag agc atc act cag cgc atg gca 1779 Asp Ser Asn Met Gly Asn Arg Ile Glu Ser Ile Thr Gln Arg Met Ala 495 500 505 510 ata ata gaa gga aag aat aag atg gct agc acc ttg gtt gtg gct gac 1827 Ile Ile Glu Gly Lys Asn Lys Met Ala Ser Thr Leu Val Val Ala Asp 515 520 525 tct aga att tct gga atc tac att tgc ata gct tcc aat aaa gtt ggg 1875 Ser Arg Ile Ser Gly Ile Tyr Ile Cys Ile Ala Ser Asn Lys Val Gly 530 535 540 act gtg gga aga aac ata agc ttt tat atc aca gat gtg cca aat ggg 1923 Thr Val Gly Arg Asn Ile Ser Phe Tyr Ile Thr Asp Val Pro Asn Gly 545 550 555 ttt cat gtt aac ttg gaa aaa atg ccg acg gaa gga gag gac ctg aaa 1971 Phe His Val Asn Leu Glu Lys Met Pro Thr Glu Gly Glu Asp Leu Lys 560 565 570 ctg tct tgc aca gtt aac aag ttc tta tac aga gac gtt act tgg att 2019 Leu Ser Cys Thr Val Asn Lys Phe Leu Tyr Arg Asp Val Thr Trp Ile 575 580 585 590 tta ctg cgg aca gtt aat aac aga aca atg cac tac agt att agc aag 2067 Leu Leu Arg Thr Val Asn Asn Arg Thr Met His Tyr Ser Ile Ser Lys 595 600 605 caa aaa atg gcc atc act aag gag cac tcc atc act ctt aat ctt acc 2115 Gln Lys Met Ala Ile Thr Lys Glu His Ser Ile Thr Leu Asn Leu Thr 610 615 620 atc atg aat gtt tcc ctg caa gat tca ggc acc tat gcc tgc aga gcc 2163 Ile Met Asn Val Ser Leu Gln Asp Ser Gly Thr Tyr Ala Cys Arg Ala 625 630 635 agg aat gta tac aca ggg gaa gaa atc ctc cag aag aaa gaa att aca 2211 Arg Asn Val Tyr Thr Gly Glu Glu Ile Leu Gln Lys Lys Glu Ile Thr 640 645 650 atc aga gat cag gaa gca cca tac ctc ctg cga aac ctc agt gat cac 2259 Ile Arg Asp Gln Glu Ala Pro Tyr Leu Leu Arg Asn Leu Ser Asp His 655 660 665 670 aca gtg gcc atc agc agt tcc acc act tta gac tgt cat gct aat ggt 2307 Thr Val Ala Ile Ser Ser Ser Thr Thr Leu Asp Cys His Ala Asn Gly 675 680 685 gtc ccc gag cct cag atc act tgg ttt aaa aac aac cac aaa ata caa 2355 Val Pro Glu Pro Gln Ile Thr Trp Phe Lys Asn Asn His Lys Ile Gln 690 695 700 caa gag cct gga att att tta gga cca gga agc agc acg ctg ttt att 2403 Gln Glu Pro Gly Ile Ile Leu Gly Pro Gly Ser Ser Thr Leu Phe Ile 705 710 715 gaa aga gtc aca gaa gag gat gaa ggt gtc tat cac tgc aaa gcc acc 2451 Glu Arg Val Thr Glu Glu Asp Glu Gly Val Tyr His Cys Lys Ala Thr 720 725 730 aac cag aag ggc tct gtg gaa agt tca gca tac ctc act gtt caa gga 2499 Asn Gln Lys Gly Ser Val Glu Ser Ser Ala Tyr Leu Thr Val Gln Gly 735 740 745 750 acc tcg gac aag tct aat ctg gag ctg atc act cta aca tgc acc tgt 2547 Thr Ser Asp Lys Ser Asn Leu Glu Leu Ile Thr Leu Thr Cys Thr Cys 755 760 765 gtg gct gcg act ctc ttc tgg ctc cta tta acc ctc ctt atc cga aaa 2595 Val Ala Ala Thr Leu Phe Trp Leu Leu Leu Thr Leu Leu Ile Arg Lys 770 775 780 atg aaa agg tct tct tct gaa ata aag act gac tac cta tca att ata 2643 Met Lys Arg Ser Ser Ser Glu Ile Lys Thr Asp Tyr Leu Ser Ile Ile 785 790 795 atg gac cca gat gaa gtt cct ttg gat gag cag tgt gag cgg ctc cct 2691 Met Asp Pro Asp Glu Val Pro Leu Asp Glu Gln Cys Glu Arg Leu Pro 800 805 810 tat gat gcc agc aag tgg gag ttt gcc cgg gag aga ctt aaa ctg ggc 2739 Tyr Asp Ala Ser Lys Trp Glu Phe Ala Arg Glu Arg Leu Lys Leu Gly 815 820 825 830 aaa tca ctt gga aga ggg gct ttt gga aaa gtg gtt caa gca tca gca 2787 Lys Ser Leu Gly Arg Gly Ala Phe Gly Lys Val Val Gln Ala Ser Ala 835 840 845 ttt ggc att aag aaa tca cct acg tgc cgg act gtg gct gtg aaa atg 2835 Phe Gly Ile Lys Lys Ser Pro Thr Cys Arg Thr Val Ala Val Lys Met 850 855 860 ctg aaa gag ggg gcc acg gcc agc gag tac aaa gct ctg atg act gag 2883 Leu Lys Glu Gly Ala Thr Ala Ser Glu Tyr Lys Ala Leu Met Thr Glu 865 870 875 cta aaa atc ttg acc cac att ggc cac cat ctg aac gtg gtt aac ctg 2931 Leu Lys Ile Leu Thr His Ile Gly His His Leu Asn Val Val Asn Leu 880 885 890 ctg gga gcc tgc acc aag caa gga ggg cct ctg atg gtg att gtt gaa 2979 Leu Gly Ala Cys Thr Lys Gln Gly Gly Pro Leu Met Val Ile Val Glu 895 900 905 910 tac tgc aaa tat gga aat ctc tcc aac tac ctc aag agc aaa cgt gac 3027 Tyr Cys Lys Tyr Gly Asn Leu Ser Asn Tyr Leu Lys Ser Lys Arg Asp 915 920 925 tta ttt ttt ctc aac aag gat gca gca cta cac atg gag cct aag aaa 3075 Leu Phe Phe Leu Asn Lys Asp Ala Ala Leu His Met Glu Pro Lys Lys 930 935 940 gaa aaa atg gag cca ggc ctg gaa caa ggc aag aaa cca aga cta gat 3123 Glu Lys Met Glu Pro Gly Leu Glu Gln Gly Lys Lys Pro Arg Leu Asp 945 950 955 agc gtc acc agc agc gaa agc ttt gcg agc tcc ggc ttt cag gaa gat 3171 Ser Val Thr Ser Ser Glu Ser Phe Ala Ser Ser Gly Phe Gln Glu Asp 960 965 970 aaa agt ctg agt gat gtt gag gaa gag gag gat tct gac ggt ttc tac 3219 Lys Ser Leu Ser Asp Val Glu Glu Glu Glu Asp Ser Asp Gly Phe Tyr 975 980 985 990 aag gag ccc atc act atg gaa gat ctg att tct tac agt ttt caa gtg 3267 Lys Glu Pro Ile Thr Met Glu Asp Leu Ile Ser Tyr Ser Phe Gln Val 995 1000 1005 gcc aga ggc atg gag ttc ctg tct tcc aga aag tgc att cat cgg gac 3315 Ala Arg Gly Met Glu Phe Leu Ser Ser Arg Lys Cys Ile His Arg Asp 1010 1015 1020 ctg gca gcg aga aac att ctt tta tct gag aac aac gtg gtg aag att 3363 Leu Ala Ala Arg Asn Ile Leu Leu Ser Glu Asn Asn Val Val Lys Ile 1025 1030 1035 tgt gat ttt ggc ctt gcc cgg gat att tat aag aac ccc gat tat gtg 3411 Cys Asp Phe Gly Leu Ala Arg Asp Ile Tyr Lys Asn Pro Asp Tyr Val 1040 1045 1050 aga aaa gga gat act cga ctt cct ctg aaa tgg atg gct ccc gaa tct 3459 Arg Lys Gly Asp Thr Arg Leu Pro Leu Lys Trp Met Ala Pro Glu Ser 1055 1060 1065 1070 atc ttt gac aaa atc tac agc acc aag agc gac gtg tgg tct tac gga 3507 Ile Phe Asp Lys Ile Tyr Ser Thr Lys Ser Asp Val Trp Ser Tyr Gly 1075 1080 1085 gta ttg ctg tgg gaa atc ttc tcc tta ggt ggg tct cca tac cca gga 3555 Val Leu Leu Trp Glu Ile Phe Ser Leu Gly Gly Ser Pro Tyr Pro Gly 1090 1095 1100 gta caa atg gat gag gac ttt tgc agt cgc ctg agg gaa ggc atg agg 3603 Val Gln Met Asp Glu Asp Phe Cys Ser Arg Leu Arg Glu Gly Met Arg 1105 1110 1115 atg aga gct cct gag tac tct act cct gaa atc tat cag atc atg ctg 3651 Met Arg Ala Pro Glu Tyr Ser Thr Pro Glu Ile Tyr Gln Ile Met Leu 1120 1125 1130 gac tgc tgg cac aga gac cca aaa gaa agg cca aga ttt gca gaa ctt 3699 Asp Cys Trp His Arg Asp Pro Lys Glu Arg Pro Arg Phe Ala Glu Leu 1135 1140 1145 1150 gtg gaa aaa cta ggt gat ttg ctt caa gca aat gta caa cag gat ggt 3747 Val Glu Lys Leu Gly Asp Leu Leu Gln Ala Asn Val Gln Gln Asp Gly 1155 1160 1165 aaa gac tac atc cca atc aat gcc ata ctg aca gga aat agt ggg ttt 3795 Lys Asp Tyr Ile Pro Ile Asn Ala Ile Leu Thr Gly Asn Ser Gly Phe 1170 1175 1180 aca tac tca act cct gcc ttc tct gag gac ttc ttc aag gaa agt att 3843 Thr Tyr Ser Thr Pro Ala Phe Ser Glu Asp Phe Phe Lys Glu Ser Ile 1185 1190 1195 tca gct ccg aag ttt aat tca gga agc tct gat gat gtc aga tat gta 3891 Ser Ala Pro Lys Phe Asn Ser Gly Ser Ser Asp Asp Val Arg Tyr Val 1200 1205 1210 aat gct ttc aag ttc atg agc ctg gaa aga atc aaa acc ttt gaa gaa 3939 Asn Ala Phe Lys Phe Met Ser Leu Glu Arg Ile Lys Thr Phe Glu Glu 1215 1220 1225 1230 ctt tta ccg aat gcc acc tcc atg ttt gat gac tac cag ggc gac agc 3987 Leu Leu Pro Asn Ala Thr Ser Met Phe Asp Asp Tyr Gln Gly Asp Ser 1235 1240 1245 agc act ctg ttg gcc tct ccc atg ctg aag cgc ttc acc tgg act gac 4035 Ser Thr Leu Leu Ala Ser Pro Met Leu Lys Arg Phe Thr Trp Thr Asp 1250 1255 1260 agc aaa ccc aag gcc tcg ctc aag att gac ttg aga gta acc agt aaa 4083 Ser Lys Pro Lys Ala Ser Leu Lys Ile Asp Leu Arg Val Thr Ser Lys 1265 1270 1275 agt aag gag tcg ggg ctg tct gat gtc agc agg ccc agt ttc tgc cat 4131 Ser Lys Glu Ser Gly Leu Ser Asp Val Ser Arg Pro Ser Phe Cys His 1280 1285 1290 tcc agc tgt ggg cac gtc agc gaa ggc aag cgc agg ttc acc tac gac 4179 Ser Ser Cys Gly His Val Ser Glu Gly Lys Arg Arg Phe Thr Tyr Asp 1295 1300 1305 1310 cac gct gag ctg gaa agg aaa atc gcg tgc tgc tcc ccg ccc cca gac 4227 His Ala Glu Leu Glu Arg Lys Ile Ala Cys Cys Ser Pro Pro Pro Asp 1315 1320 1325 tac aac tcg gtg gtc ctg tac tcc acc cca ccc atc tag agtttgacac 4276 Tyr Asn Ser Val Val Leu Tyr Ser Thr Pro Pro Ile * 1330 1335 gaagccttat ttctagaagc acatgtgtat ttataccccc aggaaactag cttttgccag 4336 tattatgcat atataagttt acacctttat ctttccatgg gagccagctg ctttttgtga 4396 tttttttaat agtgcttttt ttttttgact aacaagaatg taactccaga tagagaaata 4456 gtgacaagtg aagaacacta ctgctaaatc ctcatgttac tcagtgttag agaaatcctt 4516 cctaaaccca atgacttccc tgctccaacc cccgccacct cagggcacgc aggaccagtt 4576 tgattgagga gctgcactga tcacccaatg catcacgtac cccactgggc cagccctgca 4636 gcccaaaacc cagggcaaca agcccgttag ccccagggga tcactggctg gcctgagcaa 4696 catctcggga gtcctctagc aggcctaaga catgtgagga ggaaaaggaa aaaaagcaaa 4756 aagcaaggga gaaaagagaa accgggagaa ggcatgagaa agaatttgag acgcaccatg 4816 tgggcacgga gggggacggg gctcagcaat gccatttcag tggcttccca gctctgaccc 4876 ttctacattt gagggcccag ccaggagcag atggacagcg atgaggggac attttctgga 4936 ttctgggagg caagaaaagg acaaatatct tttttggaac taaagcaaat tttagacctt 4996 tacctatgga agtggttcta tgtccattct cattcgtggc atgttttgat ttgtagcact 5056 gagggtggca ctcaactctg agcccatact tttggctcct ctagtaagat gcactgaaaa 5116 cttagccaga gttaggttgt ctccaggcca tgatggcctt acactgaaaa tgtcacattc 5176 tattttgggt attaatatat agtccagaca cttaactcaa tttcttggta ttattctgtt 5236 ttgcacagtt agttgtgaaa gaaagctgag aagaatgaaa atgcagtcct gaggagagtt 5296 ttctccatat caaaacgagg gctgatggag gaaaaaggtc aataaggtca agggaagacc 5356 ccgtctctat accaaccaaa ccaattcacc aacacagttg ggacccaaaa cacaggaagt 5416 cagtcacgtt tccttttcat ttaatgggga ttccactatc tcacactaat ctgaaaggat 5476 gtggaagagc attagctggc gcatattaag cactttaagc tccttgagta aaaaggtggt 5536 atgtaattta tgcaaggtat ttctccagtt gggactcagg atattagtta atgagccatc 5596 actagaagaa aagcccattt tcaactgctt tgaaacttgc ctggggtctg agcatgatgg 5656 gaatagggag acagggtagg aaagggcgcc tactcttcag ggtctaaaga tcaagtgggc 5716 cttggatcgc taagctggct ctgtttgatg ctatttatgc aagttagggt ctatgtattt 5776 aggatgcgcc tactcttcag ggtctaaaga tcaagtgggc cttggatcgc taagctggct 5836 ctgtttgatg ctatttatgc aagttagggt ctatgtattt aggatgtctg caccttctgc 5896 agccagtcag aagctggaga ggcaacagtg gattgctgct tcttggggag aagagtatgc 5956 ttccttttat ccatgtaatt taactgtaga acctgagctc taagtaaccg aagaatgtat 6016 gcctctgttc ttatgtgcca catccttgtt taaaggctct ctgtatgaag agatgggacc 6076 gtcatcagca cattccctag tgagcctact ggctcctggc agcggctttt gtggaagact 6136 cactagccag aagagaggag tgggacagtc ctctccacca agatctaaat ccaaacaaaa 6196 gcaggctaga gccagaagag aggacaaatc tttgttgttc ctcttcttta cacatacgca 6256 aaccacctgt gacagctggc aattttataa atcaggtaac tggaaggagg ttaaactcag 6316 aaaaaagaag acctcagtca attctctact tttttttttt tttttccaaa tcagataata 6376 gcccagcaaa tagtgataac aaataaaacc ttagctgttc atgtcttgat ttcaataatt 6436 aattcttaat cattaagaga ccataataaa tactcctttt caagagaaaa gcaaaaccat 6496 tagaattgtt actcagctcc ttcaaactca ggtttgtagc atacatgagt ccatccatca 6556 gtcaaagaat ggttccatct ggagtcttaa tgtagaaaga aaaatggaga cttgtaataa 6616 tgagctagtt acaaagtgct tgttcattaa aatagcactg aaaattgaaa catgaattaa 6676 ctgataatat tccaatcatt tgccatttat gacaaaaatg gttggcacta acaaagaacg 6736 agcacttcct ttcagagttt ctgagataat gtacgtggaa cagtctgggt ggaatggggc 6796 tgaaaccatg tgcaagtctg tgtcttgtca gtccaagaag tgacaccgag atgttaattt 6856 tagggacccg tgccttgttt cctagcccac aagaatgcaa acatcaaaca gatactcgct 6916 agcctcattt aaattgatta aaggaggagt gcatctttgg ccgacagtgg tgtaactgtg 6976 tgtgtgtgtg tgtgtgtgtg tgtgtgtgtg tgtgtgtggg tgtgggtgta tgtgtgtttt 7036 gtgcataact atttaaggaa actggaattt taaagttact tttatacaaa ccaagaatat 7096 atgctacaga tataagacag acatggtttg gtcctatatt tctagtcatg atgaatgtat 7156 tttgtatacc atcttcatat aatatactta aaaatatttc ttaattggga tttgtaatcg 7216 taccaactta attgataaac ttggcaactg cttttatgtt ctgtctcctt ccataaattt 7276 ttcaaaatac taattcaaca aagaaaaagc tctttttttt cctaaaataa actcaaattt 7336 atccttgttt agagcagaga aaaattaaga aaaactttga aatggtctca aaaaattgct 7396 aaatattttc aatggaaaac taaatgttag tttagctgat tgtatggggt tttcgaacct 7456 ttcacttttt gtttgtttta cctatttcac aactgtgtaa attgccaata attcctgtcc 7516 atgaaaatgc aaattatcca gtgtagatat atttgaccat caccctatgg atattggcta 7576 gttttgcctt tattaagcaa attcatttca gcctgaatgt ctgcctatat attctctgct 7636 ctttgtattc tcctttgaac ccgttaaaac atcctgtggc actc 7680 26 1338 PRT Homo sapiens 26 Met Val Ser Tyr Trp Asp Thr Gly Val Leu Leu Cys Ala Leu Leu Ser 1 5 10 15 Cys Leu Leu Leu Thr Gly Ser Ser Ser Gly Ser Lys Leu Lys Asp Pro 20 25 30 Glu Leu Ser Leu Lys Gly Thr Gln His Ile Met Gln Ala Gly Gln Thr 35 40 45 Leu His Leu Gln Cys Arg Gly Glu Ala Ala His Lys Trp Ser Leu Pro 50 55 60 Glu Met Val Ser Lys Glu Ser Glu Arg Leu Ser Ile Thr Lys Ser Ala 65 70 75 80 Cys Gly Arg Asn Gly Lys Gln Phe Cys Ser Thr Leu Thr Leu Asn Thr 85 90 95 Ala Gln Ala Asn His Thr Gly Phe Tyr Ser Cys Lys Tyr Leu Ala Val 100 105 110 Pro Thr Ser Lys Lys Lys Glu Thr Glu Ser Ala Ile Tyr Ile Phe Ile 115 120 125 Ser Asp Thr Gly Arg Pro Phe Val Glu Met Tyr Ser Glu Ile Pro Glu 130 135 140 Ile Ile His Met Thr Glu Gly Arg Glu Leu Val Ile Pro Cys Arg Val 145 150 155 160 Thr Ser Pro Asn Ile Thr Val Thr Leu Lys Lys Phe Pro Leu Asp Thr 165 170 175 Leu Ile Pro Asp Gly Lys Arg Ile Ile Trp Asp Ser Arg Lys Gly Phe 180 185 190 Ile Ile Ser Asn Ala Thr Tyr Lys Glu Ile Gly Leu Leu Thr Cys Glu 195 200 205 Ala Thr Val Asn Gly His Leu Tyr Lys Thr Asn Tyr Leu Thr His Arg 210 215 220 Gln Thr Asn Thr Ile Ile Asp Val Gln Ile Ser Thr Pro Arg Pro Val 225 230 235 240 Lys Leu Leu Arg Gly His Thr Leu Val Leu Asn Cys Thr Ala Thr Thr 245 250 255 Pro Leu Asn Thr Arg Val Gln Met Thr Trp Ser Tyr Pro Asp Glu Lys 260 265 270 Asn Lys Arg Ala Ser Val Arg Arg Arg Ile Asp Gln Ser Asn Ser His 275 280 285 Ala Asn Ile Phe Tyr Ser Val Leu Thr Ile Asp Lys Met Gln Asn Lys 290 295 300 Asp Lys Gly Leu Tyr Thr Cys Arg Val Arg Ser Gly Pro Ser Phe Lys 305 310 315 320 Ser Val Asn Thr Ser Val His Ile Tyr Asp Lys Ala Phe Ile Thr Val 325 330 335 Lys His Arg Lys Gln Gln Val Leu Glu Thr Val Ala Gly Lys Arg Ser 340 345 350 Tyr Arg Leu Ser Met Lys Val Lys Ala Phe Pro Ser Pro Glu Val Val 355 360 365 Trp Leu Lys Asp Gly Leu Pro Ala Thr Glu Lys Ser Ala Arg Tyr Leu 370 375 380 Thr Arg Gly Tyr Ser Leu Ile Ile Lys Asp Val Thr Glu Glu Asp Ala 385 390 395 400 Gly Asn Tyr Thr Ile Leu Leu Ser Ile Lys Gln Ser Asn Val Phe Lys 405 410 415 Asn Leu Thr Ala Thr Leu Ile Val Asn Val Lys Pro Gln Ile Tyr Glu 420 425 430 Lys Ala Val Ser Ser Phe Pro Asp Pro Ala Leu Tyr Pro Leu Gly Ser 435 440 445 Arg Gln Ile Leu Thr Cys Thr Ala Tyr Gly Ile Pro Gln Pro Thr Ile 450 455 460 Lys Trp Phe Trp His Pro Cys Asn His Asn His Ser Glu Ala Arg Cys 465 470 475 480 Asp Phe Cys Ser Asn Asn Glu Glu Ser Phe Ile Leu Asp Ala Asp Ser 485 490 495 Asn Met Gly Asn Arg Ile Glu Ser Ile Thr Gln Arg Met Ala Ile Ile 500 505 510 Glu Gly Lys Asn Lys Met Ala Ser Thr Leu Val Val Ala Asp Ser Arg 515 520 525 Ile Ser Gly Ile Tyr Ile Cys Ile Ala Ser Asn Lys Val Gly Thr Val 530 535 540 Gly Arg Asn Ile Ser Phe Tyr Ile Thr Asp Val Pro Asn Gly Phe His 545 550 555 560 Val Asn Leu Glu Lys Met Pro Thr Glu Gly Glu Asp Leu Lys Leu Ser 565 570 575 Cys Thr Val Asn Lys Phe Leu Tyr Arg Asp Val Thr Trp Ile Leu Leu 580 585 590 Arg Thr Val Asn Asn Arg Thr Met His Tyr Ser Ile Ser Lys Gln Lys 595 600 605 Met Ala Ile Thr Lys Glu His Ser Ile Thr Leu Asn Leu Thr Ile Met 610 615 620 Asn Val Ser Leu Gln Asp Ser Gly Thr Tyr Ala Cys Arg Ala Arg Asn 625 630 635 640 Val Tyr Thr Gly Glu Glu Ile Leu Gln Lys Lys Glu Ile Thr Ile Arg 645 650 655 Asp Gln Glu Ala Pro Tyr Leu Leu Arg Asn Leu Ser Asp His Thr Val 660 665 670 Ala Ile Ser Ser Ser Thr Thr Leu Asp Cys His Ala Asn Gly Val Pro 675 680 685 Glu Pro Gln Ile Thr Trp Phe Lys Asn Asn His Lys Ile Gln Gln Glu 690 695 700 Pro Gly Ile Ile Leu Gly Pro Gly Ser Ser Thr Leu Phe Ile Glu Arg 705 710 715 720 Val Thr Glu Glu Asp Glu Gly Val Tyr His Cys Lys Ala Thr Asn Gln 725 730 735 Lys Gly Ser Val Glu Ser Ser Ala Tyr Leu Thr Val Gln Gly Thr Ser 740 745 750 Asp Lys Ser Asn Leu Glu Leu Ile Thr Leu Thr Cys Thr Cys Val Ala 755 760 765 Ala Thr Leu Phe Trp Leu Leu Leu Thr Leu Leu Ile Arg Lys Met Lys 770 775 780 Arg Ser Ser Ser Glu Ile Lys Thr Asp Tyr Leu Ser Ile Ile Met Asp 785 790 795 800 Pro Asp Glu Val Pro Leu Asp Glu Gln Cys Glu Arg Leu Pro Tyr Asp 805 810 815 Ala Ser Lys Trp Glu Phe Ala Arg Glu Arg Leu Lys Leu Gly Lys Ser 820 825 830 Leu Gly Arg Gly Ala Phe Gly Lys Val Val Gln Ala Ser Ala Phe Gly 835 840 845 Ile Lys Lys Ser Pro Thr Cys Arg Thr Val Ala Val Lys Met Leu Lys 850 855 860 Glu Gly Ala Thr Ala Ser Glu Tyr Lys Ala Leu Met Thr Glu Leu Lys 865 870 875 880 Ile Leu Thr His Ile Gly His His Leu Asn Val Val Asn Leu Leu Gly 885 890 895 Ala Cys Thr Lys Gln Gly Gly Pro Leu Met Val Ile Val Glu Tyr Cys 900 905 910 Lys Tyr Gly Asn Leu Ser Asn Tyr Leu Lys Ser Lys Arg Asp Leu Phe 915 920 925 Phe Leu Asn Lys Asp Ala Ala Leu His Met Glu Pro Lys Lys Glu Lys 930 935 940 Met Glu Pro Gly Leu Glu Gln Gly Lys Lys Pro Arg Leu Asp Ser Val 945 950 955 960 Thr Ser Ser Glu Ser Phe Ala Ser Ser Gly Phe Gln Glu Asp Lys Ser 965 970 975 Leu Ser Asp Val Glu Glu Glu Glu Asp Ser Asp Gly Phe Tyr Lys Glu 980 985 990 Pro Ile Thr Met Glu Asp Leu Ile Ser Tyr Ser Phe Gln Val Ala Arg 995 1000 1005 Gly Met Glu Phe Leu Ser Ser Arg Lys Cys Ile His Arg Asp Leu Ala 1010 1015 1020 Ala Arg Asn Ile Leu Leu Ser Glu Asn Asn Val Val Lys Ile Cys Asp 1025 1030 1035 1040 Phe Gly Leu Ala Arg Asp Ile Tyr Lys Asn Pro Asp Tyr Val Arg Lys 1045 1050 1055 Gly Asp Thr Arg Leu Pro Leu Lys Trp Met Ala Pro Glu Ser Ile Phe 1060 1065 1070 Asp Lys Ile Tyr Ser Thr Lys Ser Asp Val Trp Ser Tyr Gly Val Leu 1075 1080 1085 Leu Trp Glu Ile Phe Ser Leu Gly Gly Ser Pro Tyr Pro Gly Val Gln 1090 1095 1100 Met Asp Glu Asp Phe Cys Ser Arg Leu Arg Glu Gly Met Arg Met Arg 1105 1110 1115 1120 Ala Pro Glu Tyr Ser Thr Pro Glu Ile Tyr Gln Ile Met Leu Asp Cys 1125 1130 1135 Trp His Arg Asp Pro Lys Glu Arg Pro Arg Phe Ala Glu Leu Val Glu 1140 1145 1150 Lys Leu Gly Asp Leu Leu Gln Ala Asn Val Gln Gln Asp Gly Lys Asp 1155 1160 1165 Tyr Ile Pro Ile Asn Ala Ile Leu Thr Gly Asn Ser Gly Phe Thr Tyr 1170 1175 1180 Ser Thr Pro Ala Phe Ser Glu Asp Phe Phe Lys Glu Ser Ile Ser Ala 1185 1190 1195 1200 Pro Lys Phe Asn Ser Gly Ser Ser Asp Asp Val Arg Tyr Val Asn Ala 1205 1210 1215 Phe Lys Phe Met Ser Leu Glu Arg Ile Lys Thr Phe Glu Glu Leu Leu 1220 1225 1230 Pro Asn Ala Thr Ser Met Phe Asp Asp Tyr Gln Gly Asp Ser Ser Thr 1235 1240 1245 Leu Leu Ala Ser Pro Met Leu Lys Arg Phe Thr Trp Thr Asp Ser Lys 1250 1255 1260 Pro Lys Ala Ser Leu Lys Ile Asp Leu Arg Val Thr Ser Lys Ser Lys 1265 1270 1275 1280 Glu Ser Gly Leu Ser Asp Val Ser Arg Pro Ser Phe Cys His Ser Ser 1285 1290 1295 Cys Gly His Val Ser Glu Gly Lys Arg Arg Phe Thr Tyr Asp His Ala 1300 1305 1310 Glu Leu Glu Arg Lys Ile Ala Cys Cys Ser Pro Pro Pro Asp Tyr Asn 1315 1320 1325 Ser Val Val Leu Tyr Ser Thr Pro Pro Ile 1330 1335 27 1745 DNA Homo sapiens 27 gtggcaactt tgggttaccc aaccttccta ggcggggagg tagtccagtc cttcaggaag 60 agtctctggc tccgttcaag agccatcaca gtcccttgta ttacatccct ctgacgggtt 120 ccaataggac tatttttcaa atctgcggta tttacagaga caagactggg ctgctccgtg 180 cagccaggac gacttcagcc tttgaggtaa tggagacata attgaggaac aacgtggaat 240 tagtgtcata gcaaatgatc tagggcctca agttaatttc agccggttgt ggtcagagtc 300 actcatcttg agtagcaagc tgccaccaga aagatttctt tttcgagcat ttagggaata 360 aagttcaagt gccctgcgct tccaagttgc aggagcagtt tcacgcctca gctttttaaa 420 ggtatcataa tgttattcct tgttttgctt ctaggaagca gaagactgag gaaatgactt 480 gggcgggtgc atcaatgcgg ccgaaaaaga cacggacacg ctcccctggg acctgagctg 540 gttcgcagtc ttcccaaagg tgccaagcaa gcgtcagttc ccctcaggcg ctccaggttc 600 agtgccttgt gccgagggtc tccggtgcct tcctagactt ctcgggacag tctgaagggg 660 tcaggagcgg cgggacagcg cgggaagagc aggcaagggg agacagccgg actgcgcctc 720 agtcctccgt gccaagaaca ccgtcgcgga ggcgcggcca gcttcccttg gatcggactt 780 tccgccccta gggccaggcg gcggagcttc agccttgtcc cttccccagt ttcgggcggc 840 ccccagagct gagtaagccg ggtggaggga gtctgcaagg atttcctgag cgcgatgggc 900 aggaggaggg gcaagggcaa gagggcgcgg agcaaagacc ctgaacctgc cggggccgcg 960 ctcccgggcc cgcgtcgcca gcacctcccc acgcgcgctc ggccccgggc cacccgccct 1020 cgtcggcccc cgcccctctc cgtagccgca gggaagcgag cctgggagga agaagagggt 1080 aggtggggag gcggatgagg ggtgggggac cccttgacgt caccagaagg aggtgccggg 1140 gtaggaagtg ggctggggaa aggttataaa tcgcccccgc cctcggctgc tcttcatcga 1200 ggtccgcggg aggctcggag cgcgccaggc ggacactcct ctcggctcct ccccggcagc 1260 ggcggcggct cggagcgggc tccggggctc gggtgcagcg gccagcgggc gcctggcggc 1320 gaggattacc cggggaagtg gttgtctcct ggctggagcc gcgagacggg cgctcagggc 1380 gcggggccgg cggcggcgaa cgagaggacg gactctggcg gccgggtctt tggccgcggg 1440 gagcgcgggc accgggcgag caggccgcgt cgcgctcacc atggtcagct actgggacac 1500 cggggtcctg ctgtgcgcgc tgctcagctg tctgcttctc acaggtgagg cgcggctggg 1560 ggccggggcc tgaggcgggc tgcgatgggg cggccggagg gcagagcctc cgaggccagg 1620 gcggggtgca cgcggggaga cgaggctgta gcccggagaa gctggctacg gcgagaacct 1680 gggacactag ttgcagcggg cacgcttggg gccgctgcgc cctttctccg agggagcgcc 1740 tcgag 1745 

1. A method for the diagnosis of one or more single nucleotide polymorphism(s) in flt-1 gene in a human, which method comprises determining the sequence of the nucleic acid of the human at one or more of positions: 1953, 3453, 3888 (each according to the position in EMBL accession number X51602), 519, 786, 1422, 1429 (each according to the position in EMBL accession number D64016), 454 (according to SEQ ID No. 3) and 696 (according to SEQ ID No. 5), and determining the status of the human by reference to polymorphism in the flt-1 gene.
 2. A method according to claim 1 in which the single nucleotide polymorphism at position 1953 (according to the position in EMBL accession number X51602) is the presence of G and/or A; and/or at position 3453 (according to the position in EMBL accession number X51602) is the presence of C and/or T; and/or at position 3888 (according to the position in EMBL accession number X51602) is the presence of T and/or C; and/or at position 519 (according to the position in EMBL accession number D64016) is the presence of C and/or T; and/or at position 786 (according to the position in EMBL accession number D64016) is the presence of C and/or T; and/or at position 1422 (according to the position in EMBL accession number D64016) is the presence of C and/or T; and/or at position 1429 (according to the position in EMBL accession number D64016) is the presence of G and/or T; and/or at position 454 (according to the position in SEQ ID No. 3) is the presence of G and/or A; and/or at position 696 (according to the position in SEQ ID No. 5) is the presence of T and/or C.
 3. A method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the nucleic acid region containing the potential single nucleotide polymorphism is amplified by polymerase chain reaction prior to determining the sequence.
 4. A method as claimed in any of claims 1-3, wherein the presence or absence of the single nucleotide polymorphism is detected by reference to the loss or gain of, optionally engineered, sites recognised by restriction enzymes.
 5. A method according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which the sequence is determined by a method selected from ARMS-allele specific amplification, allele specific hybridisation, oligonucleotide ligation assay and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP).
 6. A method as claimed in any of the preceding claims for use in assessing the predisposition and/or susceptibility of an individual to diseases mediated by an flt-1 ligand.
 7. A method for the diagnosis of flt-1 ligand-mediated disease, which method comprises: i) obtaining sample nucleic acid from an individual; ii) detecting the presence or absence of a variant nucleotide at one or more of positions: 1953, 3453, 3888 (each according to the position in EMBL accession number X51602), 519, 786, 1422, 1429 (each according to the position in EMBL accession number D64016), 454 (according to SEQ ID No. 3) and 696 (according to SEQ ID No. 5), in the flt-1 gene; and, iii) determining the status of the individual by reference to polymorphism in the flt-1 gene.
 8. An isolated nucleic acid comprising at least 17 consecutive bases of flt-1 gene said nucleic acid comprising one or more of the following polymorphic alleles: A at position 1953 (according to X51602), T at position 3453 (according to X51602), C at position 3888 (according to X51602), T at position 519 (according to D64016), T at position 786 (according to D64016), T at position 1422 (according to D64016), T at position 1429 (according to D64016), A at position 454 (according to SEQ ID No. 3) and C at position 696 (according to SEQ ID No. 5), or a complementary strand thereof.
 9. An allele specific primer or probe capable of detecting an flt-1 gene polymorphism at one or more of positions: 1953, 3453, 3888 (each according to the position in EMBL accession number X51602), 519, 786, 1422, 1429 (each according to the position in EMBL accession number D64016), 454 (according to SEQ ID No. 3) and 696 (according to SEQ ID No. 5).
 10. A primer as claimed in claim 9 which is an allele specific primer adapted for use in ARMS.
 11. An allele specific nucleotide probe as claimed in claim 9 which comprises the sequence disclosed in any one of SEQ ID Nos: 6-14, or a sequence complementary thereto.
 12. A diagnostic kit comprising one or more diagnostic primer(s) and/or allele-specific oligonucleotide probes(s) as defined in claims 9, 10 or
 11. 13. A method of treating a human in need of treatment with an flt-1 ligand antagonist drug in which the method comprises: i) diagnosis of a single nucleotide polymorphism in flt-1 gene in the human, which diagnosis comprises determining the sequence of the nucleic acid at one or more of positions: 1953, 3453, 3888 (each according to the position in EMBL accession number X51602), 519, 786, 1422, 1429 (each according to the position in EMBL accession number D64016), 454 (according to SEQ ID No. 3) and 696 (according to SEQ ID No. 5); ii) determining the status of the human by reference to polymorphism in the flt-1 gene; and iii) administering an effective amount of an flt-1 ligand antagonist drug.
 14. Use of an flt-1 ligand antagonist drug in the preparation of a medicament for treating a VEGF-mediated disease in a human diagnosed as having a single nucleotide polymorphism at one or more of positions: 1953, 3453, 3888 (each according to the position in EMBL accession number X51602), 519, 786, 1422, 1429 (each according to the position in EMBL accession number D64016), 454 (according to SEQ ID No. 3) and 696 (according to SEQ ID No. 5), in the flt-1 gene.
 15. A pharmaceutical pack comprising an flt-1 ligand antagonist drug and instructions for administration of the drug to humans diagnostically tested for a single nucleotide polymorphism at one or more of positions: 1953, 3453, 3888 (each according to the position in EMBL accession number X51602), 519, 786, 1422, 1429 (each according to the position in EMBL accession number D64016), 454 (according to SEQ ID No. 3) and 696 (according to SEQ ID No. 5), in the flt-1 gene.
 16. An isolated nucleic acid sequence comprising the sequence selected from the group consisting of: (i) the nucleotide sequence from positions 1-482 of SEQ ID No. 1; (ii) the nucleotide sequence from positions 616-1073 of SEQ ID No. 1; (iii) the nucleotide sequence from positions 1437 of SEQ ID No. 2; (iv) the nucleotide sequence from positions 595-1024 of SEQ ID No. 2; (v) the nucleotide sequence from positions 1123-1480 of SEQ ID No. 2; (vi) the nucleotide sequence from positions 1-266 of SEQ ID No. 3; (vii) the nucleotide sequence from positions 279-726 of SEQ ID No. 3; (viii) the nucleotide sequence from positions 1-284 of SEQ ID No. 4; (ix) the nucleotide sequence from positions 391-651 of SEQ ID No. 4; (x) the nucleotide sequence from positions 795-1352 of SEQ ID No. 4; (xi) the nucleotide sequence from positions 1-579 of SEQ ID No. 5; (xii) the nucleotide sequence from positions 665-1256 of SEQ ID No. 5; (xiii) a nucleotide sequence having at least 80%, preferably at least 90%, sequence identity to a sequences (i)-(xii); (xiv) an isolated fragment of (i)-(xiii); and (xv) a nucleotide sequence fully complementary to (i)-(xiv).
 17. A computer readable medium having stored thereon a nucleic acid sequence comprising at least 20 consecutive bases of the flt-1 gene sequence, which sequence includes at least one of the polymorphisms at positions: 1953, 3453, 3888 (each according to the position in EMBL accession number X51602), 519, 786, 1422, 1429 (each according to the position in EMBL accession number D64016), 454 (according to SEQ ID No. 3) and 696 (according to SEQ ID No. 5).
 18. A computer readable medium having stored thereon a nucleic acid comprising any of the intron sequences disclosed in any of SEQ ID Nos. 1-5.
 19. A method for performing sequence identification, said method comprising the steps of providing a nucleic acid sequence comprising at least 20 consecutive bases of the flt-1 gene sequence, which sequence includes at least one of the polymorphisms at positions: 1953, 3453, 3888 (each according to the position in EMBL accession number X51602), 519, 786, 1422, 1429 (each according to the position in EMBL accession number D64016), 454 (according to SEQ ID No. 3) and 696 (according to SEQ ID No. 5) in a computer readable medium; and comparing said nucleic acid sequence to at least one other nucleic acid sequence to identify identity. 